Multi-agency approach crucial to prevent domestic abuse deaths
The Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2022-2024 Report, released today, examining domestic abuse related deaths in England and Wales has shown the scale of domestic homicides, and for the second year in a row, suspected suicides following domestic abuse have overtaken the number of homicides involving current or previous partners. This reflects increased awareness and progress made against recommendations in the project’s last report, which focused on improving policing’s ability to better recognise and record the link between domestic abuse and suicide.
Findings from the Domestic Homicide Project released today reveal that 262 people died in England and Wales as a result of domestic abuse in the past year.
The annual report tracks the scale and nature of domestic abuse-related deaths in quick-time, both from the previous year and across a four-year period, and is the only dataset of its kind in England and Wales.
The findings and analysis were informed by families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse who continue to drive awareness and change across policing, government and partners. This year, specific research was also undertaken to examine deaths where someone had fallen from height in partnership with the Killed Women Network.
The annual report tracks the scale and nature of domestic abuse-related deaths in quick-time, both from the previous year and across a four-year period, and is the only dataset of its kind in England and Wales.
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, national policing lead for domestic abuse, said:
“The sustained nature of domestic homicide shows how deeply ingrained violence against women and girls is in our communities.
“The Domestic Homicide Project has now recorded over 1000 domestic abuse-related deaths across a four year period. The scale and impact is incomprehensible and as a society, we cannot delay action to prevent future deaths.”
The report demonstrates the need for a multi-agency response that spans the wider criminal justice system, healthcare and local authorities such as social services, to tackle domestic abuse and prevent future deaths, particularly suicides. In cases of SVSDA, nine in ten victims and/or prior domestic abuse perpetrators were known to partner agencies.
Across the four-year dataset, the most commonly recorded risk factors in relation to the suspects were mental ill health, a history of coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB), alcohol use and drug misuse, representing a key opportunity to intercept perpetrators through healthcare, substance misuse and mental health services.
Some of the risk factors were more prominent in certain types of deaths; for example, CCB was prominent in cases of IPH, SVSDA and unexpected deaths, whilst suspected mental ill health was particularly notable in cases of AFH.
AC Rolfe continues: “The data reinforces the critical need for policing to work with other agencies to identify those at risk of being both a perpetrator or a victim of domestic abuse. A preventative approach is the only way to stop the widespread harm of domestic abuse in all its forms.”
Key findings:
262 deaths were recorded between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024:
- 98 suspected suicide following domestic abuse (SVSDA)
- 80 intimate partner homicides (IPH)
- 39 adult family homicides
- 28 unexpected deaths
- 11 child deaths
- 6 ‘other’ (where the victim and suspect lived together, but were not related or intimate partners
22 cases of deaths due to a fall from height were recorded across 13 forces during the four-year period, of those:
- 36% were recorded as SVSDA, 27% unexpected deaths, 23% IPH and 14% AFH
- Notably, three victims (14%) were pregnant at the time of their death
- In 70% of cases the suspect was arrested
Read full report Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2020-2024 Year 4 Report
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women & Girls, Jess Phillips said:
"Every death related to domestic abuse is a life cut short and a devastating tragedy. The better we understand the links between domestic abuse and homicides, suicides and unexpected deaths, the better equipped we are to prevent them from happening in the first place. That’s why the government has funded this vital research to shine a light on the scale of the problem.
“This report rightly demands coordinated action across government, police and partner agencies to tackle these issues head on – and we are already cracking on with work to put the voices of victims, their families and friends, and key stakeholders front and centre of this. Our upcoming violence against women and girls strategy will set out our ambition and concrete actions to strengthen our response to perpetrators and deliver on our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.”