'Staggering' number of domestic abuse victims taking own lives

The vast majority of suspects in domestic abuse cases where the victim has taken their own life are known to the police, according to a new report.

Over the past four years, data shows that 92% of suspects in cases of domestic abuse suicides were known to authorities - as one police chief admits "there is an awful lot" for forces and other agencies to "learn and improve" to prevent future deaths.

"I’m really concerned," said Louisa Rolfe, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and national police lead for domestic abuse.

She told Sky News the number of deaths in a domestic setting were a "staggering and intractable problem".

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG), told Sky's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge the situation was "not going to change overnight", but said the government would publish its strategy for tackling VAWG in the summer, and "it will be very alive to what is in this report".

The report for England and Wales also shows the number of people taking their own lives following domestic abuse is higher than the number of victims killed by an ex or current partner - for the second year running.

In the 12 months to March 2024, 98 people were suspected to have taken their own life following domestic abuse, while 80 people were killed by a partner, the National Police Chiefs' Council report says.

In 79% of the suspected suicide cases, either the victim or perpetrator were known to other agencies, such as mental health services and domestic abuse specialists.

Since 2020, the most common form of death recorded in a domestic setting has become suicide following domestic abuse.

Ms Rolfe said the trend was "incredibly sad".

"We’ve been working with other agencies and we're really, really keen that we work together to understand how we can prevent these sad deaths… and what we might do to ensure that every victim receives the best possible response from us", she added.

Victims 'not being protected'

Deborah Jones runs a small domestic abuse charity in Barnsley, working with victims from across the country.

She says 90% of the women she supports have had suicidal thoughts, while a "large number" have made attempts on their life because "they just can’t see a way out".

"Once they've reported something that is happening to them, they're not being protected," she said. "If they get referred to a service, nobody seems to want to catch them.

"They’re just being referred on to another service… being passed from pillar to post."

Sky News joined a support session as victims talked about their experiences, where they described the "relentless torment" of their abuse.

Others said they had been "dismissed as mentally ill" and said reporting domestic abuse can be "re-traumatising".

One woman said she was asked to recount her story "five times" in one day.

Kiena Dawes, Jessica Laverack and Kellie Sutton are three young women who took their own lives following a history of domestic abuse.

Ryan Wellings was the first defendant in England to face trial for the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.

Kiena blamed her partner for her death in a suicide note. He was cleared of her manslaughter, but sentenced to six and a half years in prison for controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault.

After the inquests into the deaths of Jessica and Kellie, coroners issued prevention of future death reports.

In Kellie's case, the coroner said "matters of concern" included "a lack of understanding of controlling and coercive behaviour [...] and the impact on victims".

After the inquest into Jessica's death, the coroner called for more "recognition of the link between domestic abuse and suicide", saying "processes and policies do not seem to include this serious area to the extent that is required".

Earlier this month, Sky News spoke to Sharon Holland, whose daughter Chloe took her own life in 2023. Sharon is urging the government to consider tougher sentences for those convicted of coercive control.

'Difficult' to identify coercive behaviour, detective says

At Cheshire Police headquarters, the serious case review team examines deaths that have happened in domestic settings.

The team identifies some of the factors that can lead to suicide, in order to help agencies improve their response to domestic abuse and prevent future deaths.

"Coercive and controlling behaviour is by far the highest risk indicator for domestic suicide," said Detective Nikki Brown.

She said it can be "difficult" for authorities to identify what that behaviour looks like and said officers need to ask "direct" questions.

Another common factor is "separation", with victims vulnerable after a relationship ends, while perpetrators can become persistent as they've "lost that control".

"They just can’t let it go," said PC Colin Charlesworth, while out on patrol doing welfare checks on victims with protection orders in place. "They’re obsessed… and want to make their lives a misery. We lock them up, send them down, they're still doing it from prison."

Other factors identified in the report include mental ill health, and alcohol and drug misuse.

'Devastating'

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG), 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," she added.

Speaking to Sky's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, Ms Phillips said the government had to ensure that "all of those services that are meant to be working to prevent this from happening, are actually working".

She continued: "It's not going to change overnight, any of this. I wish that I could say that I will make every social work response brilliant overnight, that I will make every police officer's response brilliant overnight. What we have to do is look at the fundamentals of the systems."

The minister noted that police had not previously had domestic violence cases as part of their performance data, and so looking at the "prioritisation" of cases that come into the police is one aspect of the government's work at the moment.

"What we have to do is find wherever in the system a victim or a perpetrator comes forward and is known to services, and ensure that that access point leads to action. And that is what a cross-government strategy has to be about," she added.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

Watch the full interview with Jess Phillips on Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge at 7pm.

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