On August 8, 2025, the UK government unveiled a sweeping new plan to introduce "restriction zones" for domestic abusers and violent offenders—a move that has ignited hope among survivors but also sparked pointed questions from police officials, charities, and campaigners. The proposal, announced by Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones at the Advance charity in London, aims to flip the script on how the justice system protects those at risk of abuse. Instead of survivors living in constant fear, hemmed in by exclusion zones, it is now the perpetrators who would face strict limits on their movements, enforced by GPS technology and the threat of imprisonment for breaches.
For years, exclusion zones have served as a shield—albeit an imperfect one—preventing offenders from approaching the homes of their victims. But as survivor Leanne, 54, told BBC, these measures have often fallen short. "These are places where I was confronted, even when he had restraining orders," she said, reflecting on her own harrowing experiences. Leanne described how she would have asked for restriction zones to cover places like her children's school, her local supermarket, and her family's homes—everyday locations where safety was far from guaranteed. "If I could say those places, and I knew I could go to those places safely, happy days, I'm protected. I've been listened to." Still, she voiced a note of skepticism, tempered by years of disappointment: "Would I put a lot of faith in it? Probably not, because I don't like being let down, and I've been let down by previous governments. So we can only have hope."
The new proposal comes at a time of mounting pressure on the UK prison system, which is groaning under the weight of overcrowding. The government is planning a broader overhaul that could see violent and sexual offenders released earlier than before, with more criminals serving sentences in the community. Under the restriction zone plan, tens of thousands of offenders could be tagged and monitored, a prospect that has prompted concerns about the capacity of the Probation Service. To address these challenges, ministers have pledged £700 million in funding until 2028/29 and the recruitment of 1,300 new probation officers by March 2026.
According to a Ministry of Justice spokesperson, the new zones are designed to "curb the freedoms of the most serious sexual and violent offenders by 'locking' them into specific areas." The spokesperson stressed, "Offenders will lose their freedom to move at will, and we'll give victims the confidence to go about their lives without fear of encountering them. They are not an alternative to custody and will have no impact on who and when an offender is released." Breaching the virtual boundaries set by these zones could lead to a return to prison, the Ministry confirmed.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones, outlining the details at Advance, emphasized the safeguards attached to the system: "We're putting really strong safeguards attached to these so that we can give victims and survivors the confidence to carry on with their everyday lives. We're going to be outlining more details on this as well, as we're bringing in the legislation in the autumn." The new approach will see probation officers working closely with survivors to determine which locations should be off-limits for perpetrators, and detailed risk assessments will be carried out to tailor each restriction zone appropriately.
The charity sector has largely welcomed the announcement, though with a healthy dose of caution. Amy Glover, director at the domestic abuse charity Advance, said, "What we can sometimes find when new safety measures are introduced for victim survivors, if they don't work all the time, then they can actually create a false sense of security. So we're just really interested to hear a bit more about how they will be rolled out and how we can ensure they're working effectively." Glover also highlighted the positive shift: "The aim of these restriction zones, which we really welcome, is to flip that so now he may have a smaller area of movement. She is able to go about her daily life more."
Reality TV star and campaigner Georgia Harrison, who has become a prominent voice against violence toward women and girls after her own experiences with revenge porn, also weighed in. "Why on earth should a survivor have to pick an area and stay there for the rest of their life?" she asked. "It makes so much more sense that a perpetrator will be subjected to a restriction zone and a survivor can go wherever they want and feel safe. If implemented correctly, it could just mean that not only are they actually physically safe, but they can live every single day feeling safe." Harrison also called for social media platforms to be held accountable for preventing online abuse, which she noted is an increasingly common extension of domestic violence.
Yet, the plan is not without its critics. Donna Jones, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner, welcomed the restriction zones but urged caution. "I'm concerned they will unduly influence the Government's decision on which offenders to release under its Early Release Scheme," she said, highlighting the risk that the promise of restriction zones could make early release more palatable for serious offenders. She also questioned the effectiveness of the current 28-day recall period for violent offenders, calling it "clearly not a deterrent." Jones called for greater clarity on how long violent offenders would serve if recalled to prison under the new system.
For some, the stakes are deeply personal. Diana Parkes, mother of Joanna Simpson—who was killed by her estranged husband Robert Brown in 2010—shared her perspective on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Parkes said she was "delighted" about the new plans, explaining, "It's essential that victims of violent crimes should not live in fear when their perpetrators come out of prison on licence to serve the rest of their sentence, as it does at the present time." She recounted how exclusion zones had failed to provide real safety: "The perpetrator knows exactly where the victims are as they have exclusion zones, which are supposedly safe areas for the victims, but of course, the perpetrators know where they are and the minute they come out of their exclusion zone, the perpetrators could grab them or hurt them. Everyone has to worry all the time about where the perpetrator is when they live their normal life, because we're never told where they are at the moment."
Joanna Simpson's killer, Robert Brown, is due for parole in January 2026. Parkes expressed hope that, if released, Brown would be placed in a restricted zone and tagged, providing at least some peace of mind to the families affected by such violence. Brown, a former pilot, was sentenced to 24 years for manslaughter and a further two years for obstructing a coroner. He killed Simpson just a week before their divorce was finalized, buried her in Windsor Great Park, and later confessed to police. He was cleared of murder after a trial but admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility, with a psychiatric report citing an "adjustment disorder."
As the government prepares to bring the restriction zone legislation before Parliament in autumn 2025, the debate continues. Supporters say the plan finally puts the onus on perpetrators rather than survivors, offering hope for a safer future. Skeptics, meanwhile, warn that without robust funding, oversight, and a cultural shift in enforcement, even the best-intentioned measures could fall short. For now, survivors, campaigners, and officials alike are watching closely, eager to see whether this long-awaited change will deliver on its promise—or become, as Leanne put it, just more "pillow talk."