The Domestic Homicide Project Report – March 2025

Today (25 March 2025) the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) published the results of the ‘Domestic Homicide Project’, an annual report examining deaths related to domestic abuse. In this 4th Annual Report, MP Jess Phillips has described Violence Against Women and Girls as a “national emergency”.

What does the report say?

The most recent Domestic Homicide Project Report has found that between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 262 people died in relation to or as a result of domestic abuse. Of the 262 deaths, 98 were suspected by police to be the suicide of a victim of domestic abuse. Suspected suicide following domestic abuse is the current most prevalent type of death in deaths related to domestic abuse. It is clear from the last two annual reports that suicide by a victim of domestic abuse is more prevalent than homicide by an abusive partner.

The recent history of the Domestic Homicide Project

Across the past 4 years of the report (from 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2024) the Project has reported a total 1012 deaths, 501 of these being domestic homicides.

As reported by the Home Office in 2021, almost half of all suspects involved in domestic-abuse related deaths were previously known to police for domestic abuse allegations. The same research showed that coercive and controlling behaviour was ‘strongly present’ in the majority of cases and victims of domestic abuse are more vulnerable where existing mental health conditions, alcohol and drug misuse are relevant. As reported in October 2024, the Domestic Homicide Project found that 1 in 10 domestic deaths (both homicides and suicides) involved victims ages 16 – 24 years.

Across 4 years of the Domestic Homicide Project annual reports, they have identified that a history of controlling and coercive behaviour is one of the most common risk factors in these cases.

Aim of the Domestic Homicide Project

The Domestic Homicide Project aims to expand understanding of domestic abuse, identifying risk factors and encourages awareness across the police, public and government. The report calls for a multi-agency response to tackle domestic violence ingrained in communities. Previous reports have encouraged changes in Police attitude and the NPCC reports that recommendations have been implemented by most forces. Examples of these recommendations include the administration of specific procedures to encourage officers to consider controlling or coercive behaviour or domestic abuse when attending a suicide or unexpected death. The NPCC seeks to encourage the identification of domestic abuse related deaths and have reported to roll out training for police officers regarding the link between domestic abuse and suicide. These schemes are reported to have encouraged the police to swiftly identify cases which may relate to domestic abuse and ensure subsequent investigations are led with this in mind.

Prosecutions

Currently, only three men in the UK have been charged with manslaughter following their partner’s suicide. The only successful prosecution of this kind of manslaughter was of Nicholas Allen in 2017 following the suicide of his previous partner. Nicholas Allen was also prosecuted for coercive behaviour and stalking. Following the victim’s death, an inquiry exposed that she had reported domestic abuse to the police numerous times before her tragic suicide and earlier that year, the police had taken no further action against Allen for an allegation of stalking and harassment. These cases and the Domestic Homicide Project have encouraged police to launch more investigations following a death related to domestic abuse.

It could be likely that more posthumous prosecutions are sought in relation to tackling this issue.