The government is taking action to better recognise the often
hidden victims of domestic abuse who die after suicide, coercive
and controlling behaviour, and economic abuse.
Publishing its response to a public
consultation today (5 February) on reviews conducted after
fatal domestic abuse cases, the government is strengthening the
law to highlight that these reviews can take place when a death
has occurred as a result of domestic abuse, including in suicide
cases, in line with the legal definition of domestic abuse as
introduced in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
This means that a Domestic Homicide Review can be commissioned
whenever there is a death that has, or appears to have, resulted
from domestic abuse. As well as physical abuse, this
includes controlling or coercive behaviour and emotional and
economic abuse. It will help to ensure that lessons are learned
from fatal domestic abuse cases.
The government has also announced that the name of these reviews
will be changed from ‘Domestic Homicide Review’ to ‘Domestic
Abuse Related Death Review’, to better reflect all deaths which
fall within their scope.
Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, said:
This government has made significant progress addressing fatal
domestic abuse, including through our landmark Domestic Abuse
Act.
However, there is more to do, and we also need to focus on hidden
victims who die from domestic abuse related suicide.
These changes to will enable agencies to contextualise these
horrific offences even if the domestic abuse was not physical in
nature, better identify the warnings signs and ultimately, save
lives.
A Domestic Homicide Review is a multi-agency review which seeks
to identify and implement lessons learnt from deaths which have,
or appear to have, resulted from domestic abuse.
Their aim is to better protect victims in future and prevent
further tragedies – by highlighting to the police and other
agencies what can be done in future to strengthen the response.
Last year, the Home Office published a library on GOV.UK
making previous reviews available online. This will make it
easier to analyse the reports and understand key trends, factors
and risks relating to domestic homicides.
The new changes are being made after concerns were raised by
charities and bereaved families that the previous definition did
not fully reflect the range of domestic abuse related deaths.
Through an 8-week public consultation, charities, professional
bodies, front-line agencies, and individuals bereaved by domestic
homicide or by suicide linked to domestic abuse were invited to
consider the changes.
The changes will be brought into law via an amendment to the
Victims and Prisoners Bill.
