It is my understanding that in the olden days, DV victims could ask not to press charges. So many cases werebeing dropped that the toing and froing and wasting police and CPS time, the manipulation of the DV victims, their fears, or the relationship being back on etc caused new legislation which said that DV prosecutions could still go ahead by the CPS wether or not the victim wanted them to. Therefore taking it out of the victims hands. I'm no expert, but that is what I thought was in effect these days. My sister tried to save her abusive ex when they got back together again, but the CPS continued anyway, and he went to jail.