Latest changes – domestic abuse

Link to 'CPS offences against the person' (appearing in the 12th and 13th box of the table) updated as previous link was broken

Under the section titled: Specific management considerations when dealing with police perpetrators of domestic abuse - the following sentence has been updated from this:

Allegations of domestic abuse involving police suspects must always be appropriately treated as police complaints or conduct matters and investigated as an allegation of police misconduct.

To this:

Allegations of domestic abuse involving police suspects must always be appropriately treated as police complaints or conduct matters and investigated as an allegation of police misconduct, regardless of whether or not it is being pursued as a criminal matter. 

Under the section titled: Providing support to victims - a sentence has been added, to take the sentence from this:

Police forces should also ensure that such victims are given a full explanation of the force's domestic abuse workplace policy and kept fully informed about the progress of internal investigations and misconduct processes. 

To this:

Police forces should also ensure that such victims are given a full explanation of the force's domestic abuse workplace policy and kept fully informed about the progress of internal investigations and misconduct processes. This includes making sure they understand when they are the complainant or Interested Person in an internal complaint or conduct investigation - as opposed to being the victim in any criminal investigation. In all cases, police should ensure they are willing to pursue the investigation.

Minor grammar amends throughout.

'2021' added after the Domestic Abuse Act under the sub-heading Domestic Abuse Commissioner. 

Domestic Homicide Report sub-section of this module was amended following product author recommendations. These were minor amendments to punctuation, syntax and the way the animation was referred to. 

Vulnerable adult abuse investigation; Stalking or harassment; Sexual offences - subsections have been amended after product author checks on the changes made after the super-complaint. These changes are very minor to grammar, syntax (in some cases, eg, separating long sentences).

Specific management considerations when dealing with police perpetrators of domestic abuse; Inter-force arrangements; Reviews of the investigation; Providing support to victims has had minor amendments to capitalisation and other grammatical/syntactical choices. These were carried out after product author checks were received on new/significantly amended sections of DA APP subsequent to a super-complaint. 

Children as victims of domestic abuse - This section has been updated following receipt of product author checks. These amendments are limited to very minor punctuation or syntactical changes, removing capitals when unnecessary and updating a report date.

Contact from prisoners and Sanctuary schemes sub-sections were amended following receipt of product author checks. These sections were recently amended (contact was new) from a DA super-complaint and PA checks were applied subsequently. The changes in both sections are very minimal, such as punctuation.

Multiple links updated throughout 'arrest' section. 

Links updated under the subsection 'arrest' in relation to the Directors Guidance on Charging now 6th edition replacing the previously listed 5th edition, and to the Joint NPCC and CPS Evidence Gathering Checklist for use by Police Forces and CPS in Cases of Domestic Abuse. 

Receiving the report

1st paragraph/last sentence – ‘Forces could consider…’ – deleted end of this sentence from this point and replaced with ‘recommending the use of the Police.uk online domestic abuse reporting tool.’ Link added.

End of the section added two sentences – ‘Officers should carefully consider…’; ‘An incident may not…’

Child abuse investigations

1^st paragraph – deleted the link to ‘In plain sight.’

Honour-based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation

Changed title to HB abuse and removed hyphen. Changed HBV to HBA in all instances throughout section.

After bullets, added a link list with preceding ‘See also:’ Added links to APP FM and HBA and APP FGM.

Vulnerable adult abuse investigation

Added the paragraph commencing ‘The Department of Health and Social Care…’ Including addition of a link to the Policy paper: Safe care at home review (Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care, 2023).

Paragraph starting ‘Whatever the origin of the…’ - inserted ‘domestic abuse’ prior to ‘investigation.’

For further information see: Added link and signpost to APP on adults at risk; updated wording and link to Department of Health and Social Care (2024) Care and support statutory guidance; and updated link/signpost to the Safe care at home review.

Stalking and harassment

Title changed ‘and’ to ‘or’. Did this throughout the section.

Added the following underneath original content:

‘Consider the mnemonic FOUR when assessing if behaviour is potentially stalking. Are the behaviours:

• Fixated
• Obsessive
• Unwanted
• Repeated

Harassment may form part of stalking behaviour, so do not underestimate the potential risk of harm to the victim.

See the Advice to police responders to ensure an effective response to stalking or harassment.

If the victim is at risk of harm, consider whether a Stalking Protection Order or interim order may be appropriate, depending on whether the criminal threshold has been met. For further information, see the APP on Stalking or harassment.’

Homicide

Opening statement changed – removed year/percentages from ONS and added a new link, plus the sentence ‘Office for National Statistics’ data show that on an average year, around half of female homicides are perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner, compare to less than 10% of male homicides. Updated the ONS link.

At the bottom of the section added ‘See also:’ and a link list. Wording and link for Domestic Homicide Project’s (2024) Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2022-2023 Report; APP on FM and HBA.

Suicide

Title changed to Unexplained and unexpected death

First paragraph rewritten. ‘A suicide’ edited to ‘An investigation into an unexplained death…background to an apparent suicide.’ Added ‘Officers should actively consider this when attending the scene and wherever possible run background checks on history of domestic abuse crimes and non-crime incidents at the time. Slower-time investigations into the history can be done subsequently.’

Added below this ‘Where there is evidence of any offences having been committed, officers should arrest and charge accordingly. ‘

‘Where this is suspected,’ cut. Now reads: ‘Officers should also consider…’

‘See also:’ added. Link list created and signpost and link added for 

• Domestic Homicide Project’s Vulnerability Knowledge & Practice Programme Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides year one, two and three reports.
• College of Policing (2023) Categories for unexpected death investigations
• CPS (2024) guidance on Homicide: Murder, manslaughter, infanticide and causing or allowing the death or serious injury of a child or vulnerable adult.
• CPS (2023) guidance on Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate Family Relationship.
• APP on Suicide and bereavement response.

Missing person who is an alleged domestic abuse victim

Changed honour based violence to HB abuse, and abbreviated HBV to HBA.

Prostitution

Changed title to Sex Work

Replaced ‘prostitution’ with ‘sex work’ x 5.

The CPS guidelines previously included and linked to, replaced with NPCC (2024) Sex Work National Police Guidance.

Sexual offences

Content added to the end of this section: 

‘Operation Soteria is a multiyear project launched in response to the Government End-to-End Rape Review to bring in effective tools and techniques to ensure justice outcomes are achieved for sexual offences. A National Operating Model for response to rape and serious sexual assault has been developed that aims to improve policing procedures, increase charge rate and support equity across justice processes and outcomes. 

To apply the principles of this model when responding to sexual offences, officers should be: 

• victim-centred, by empowering victims by providing them with information so they can make decisions 
• suspect-focused, by securing good quality evidence to ensure a full and thorough investigation can be done
• context-led, by considering the situation, relationship of the suspect and victim, and desires of the victim.

About the national operating model provides further information.  

Related resources:

• APP on Rape and sexual offences 
• College of Policing Briefing note: For police first responders to a report of rape or sexual assault

Made several swaps throughout from Violence to abuse - this related to Helpline references, HBV to HBA etc.

Nine questions for the force

Q3, bullet 7 - wording changed from 'cautioning and restorative justice' to 'out of court resolutions'.

Q7, bullet 7 - '...employed by its own police force members, whether staff or officers?' 

Q9, bullet 2, sub-bullet 3 - added DARA before DASH. Sub-bullet added to the end 'handling of police perpetrated DA allegations and associated referrals to professional standards department for investigation?

Domestic abuse as core business

Beneath 'Management considerations include:' - bullet 2 - HBV Violence amended to HBA Assault. Prostitution changed for sex work.

Multi-agency considerations

Bullet 1 replaced LSCBs with 'other safeguarding adults or children's boards.'

Meeting the welfare needs of DA specialists

Deleted last sentence and link. Replaced with a reference and text related to Oscar Kilo.

Performance management

Deleted reference to 'There is currently no national framework...' and ref to MoJ Action plan. 

Added text and link to NPCC Policing VAWG.

Removed 'at Annex A'

Victim safety and support

Bullet 3 replaced reference and link to Victims' Code.

DV disclosure schemes

Removed date from HO reference; removed date from MoJ reference and word 'New'

Initial contact

Removed date from HO reference. Under initial checks, 2nd bullet added 'in which case, immediate action should be taken'.

Face to face meeting

Deleted date from HO citation

Full risk assessment

Deleted 'Where the applicant is the potential victim' and 'within five working days.' Added 'This should be revisited...' sentence beneath.

Referral to the local decision-making forum changed to multi-agency panel. Changed within first paragraph also. Changed five working days to 10.

Concern

Sentence added at bottom of section, starting 'If at any time...'

No concern

Sentence starting 'It is for the...' local decision-making forum swapped to multi-agency panel. 

HO citation - deleted date.

Maintaining a record for the disclosure consideration

HO - removed date; removed reference to annexes; removed 'local decision making forum from end of bullet.

Deleted the second paragraph:

The APP responds to a number of developments in the field of domestic abuse. , in particular a new Home Office definition of domestic violence and abuse. The definition recognises the significance of controlling or coercive behaviour in better understanding domestic abuse. During the development of this APP, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) also released its findings from a major inspection of how all police forces in England and Wales handle allegations of domestic abuse. 

And added content starting with the definition of domestic abuse, all the way down to the related resources links. 

Domestic abuse definitions

Deleted the cross-government definition and replaced with a statement about the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, including a link. 

Removed ‘but it not limited to’ prior to the bullets. Changed the bullets from psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional; to physical or sexual; violent or threatening; controlling or coercive; economic; psychological, emotional or other.

Stated Female Genital Mutilation in full. Fixed the link to this APP.

Added beneath ‘Detailed guidance relating specifically to forced marriage (FM) and honour based abuse (HBA) is set out in the APP on Forced marriage and honour based abuse.’ Included link.

Next sentence ‘…to be linked…’ deleted ‘to one of the above’ and replaced with ‘to FGM, HBA and/or FM,’

The paragraph starting ‘Officers and staff…’ above the ‘For further information sentence’ – added ‘As with all reports to the police, officers...’

Home Office reference updated to DA Statutory guidance 2022.

New section added titled Domestic Homicide Report. Three new paragraphs and a link to YouTube animation.

Controlling or coercive behaviour

Paragraph inserted second about unexpected death.

Description of controlling or coercive behaviour

The Home Office descriptions previously given have been deleted. A link to the Statutory Guidance has been inserted instead.

Further explanation of controlling or coercive behaviour

Under bullets, the paragraph starting ‘Further examples’ – links were replaced to more up to date content. 

The offence of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship

Paragraph added at the end, after numbered list. This signposts to Home Office and CPS sources and deletes the previous ‘See…’ information.

Repeatedly or continuously

The last sentence was added ‘It is not...’

Personally connected when the behaviour took place

Added reference to the DA Act 2021 changing the bullets to reflect this definition.

A sentence added beneath about the Act removing previous requirements for people to be living together. Also adding a reference and link to the Family Law Act.

Deleted a sentence ‘The offence does not…’ as it is out of date and incorrect now.

Amended wording of last paragraph to be clearer and give a signpost (and link) to Child abuse APP. 

What statistics tells us

First bullet – added word ‘approximately’, changed the percentages to reflect a different ONS report (more recent), added the word ‘experienced’ for clarity and updated the link.

Deleted the last three bullets.

Paragraph starts ‘In all cases…’ – updated the link to CPS; deleted the text that starts ‘state that…’ and ends ‘or the complainant’ replacing it with a reference to DA Act s 3. Also replaced the CPS guidance and the link to a more recent, appropriate one for child suspects.

Paragraph starts ‘With regards’ – added statement ‘in line with the Family Law Act 1996’ and added the last four bullets of relationship types. Added a signpost and link for s 63 of Family Law Act.

Next para, ‘Officers and staff...’ – minor wording changes to the second sentence.

Serial perpetrator

Last sentence – link/signpost text changed.

Collection of data

DV disclosure scheme link corrected.

Offences associated with domestic abuse

Table. Possible offences, 2^nd down – added text about strangulation and suffocation and reference/links to Serious Crime Act.

Examples of behaviour, Forced sexual activity – added text about gang initiation (left side).

Examples of behaviour, changed ‘Revenge Pornography’ to ‘Threats to send or sending intimate images or videos. Right side – added signpost and link to Sex Offences Act; updated CPS signpost and link; Added link/signpost to CoP 2024 Sharing photographs. Updated signpost from ‘Revenge P’ to ‘Threats to send…’ 

Why do victims continue abusive relationships?

Deleted this section due to duplication.

Added sub-heading Strategies to overcome barriers to reporting

Added the paragraph underneath.

Behavioural conditions that may affect a victim’s response to the police

Deleted reference to Stockholm syndrome. 

Reasons why a victim may continue an abusive relationship

Added a paragraph initially explaining this is common.

Links updated: 

• Domestic Abuse Guidance
• Joint NPCC and CPS Evidence Gathering Checklist
• Directors Guidance on Charging 5th edition - changed to 6th edition 
• Statutory Guidance on Controlling and Coercive Behaviour 
• CPS Domestic Abuse Guidelines for Prosecutors
• Guidance for Best Practice for the Management of Intimate Images that may become Evidence in Court
• Victims Code updated from 2015 to 2020 version
• Home Office Controlling and Coercive Behaviour Statutory Guidance Framework
• ACRO Criminal Records updated link
• link to Intelligence Investigations APP updated
• Schengen Info System link updated
• Home Office Human Intelligence Sources College of Policing 
• Body Worn Video link updated 

Paragraph on 'assist' deleted. 

• HM Government Information Sharing link updated 
• Removal of obtaining and using documents and information from family proceedings reference link
• Removal of reference to 2013 Protocol and Good Practice Model under checklist for sharing evidence for family court hearings section and also under the proceeding section 
• Addition of the 'Domestic Abuse Commissioner' section 
• Reference to Domestic Abuse Act 2021 included under CJS section 
• Local safeguarding children boards title changed to 'multi-agency safeguarding arrangements'
• References to LSCB changed to MASA
• Reference to working together to safeguarding children 2023 included 
• Removal of reference to Department Health Care and Support Statutory Guidance 2014 replaced with Department Health and Social Care Statutory Guidance
• MAPPA Guidance replaced Ministry of Justice 2012 v.4 guidance on MAPPA
• Removal of wording 'August 2013' from multi agency guidance DHR guidance section

• Reference to suicide risk in custody plans added in
• Reference to risk of suicide when Domestic Abuse perpetrators come to the attention of the police added in 
• Reference to Domestic Abuse injury photos added
• Reference to APP on Detention and Custody added
• Update to wording on the use of interpreters section 
• Wording change from honour based violence to honour based abuse added
• Home Office 2015 Guidance on Firearms Licencing updated to 2022 version 
• Reference to APP on Gun Crime added

Approaches to risk assessment

IDVA link updated.

Penultimate bullet added, commences ‘Known trigger points…’

HBV swapped to HBA.

Changed and added to the text at the end regarding DARA. Added sentence ‘Since this recommendation…’ and ‘Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment…’ DARA learning materials linked to College Learn.

Particular issues affecting certain groups of victims

Deleted ‘For further information’ – link is out of date and no replacements available.

Victims from different cultural backgrounds

‘Violence’ changed to ‘abuse’; HBV changed to HBA – all occurrences.

‘For further information…’ – deleted Resolution link. Changed CPS to updated wording and link. Added signpost and links to Multi-agency statutory guidance for FM, and FM resource pack.

Victims with insecure or uncertain immigration status

2^nd paragraph, last line – added ‘They may particularly fear the loss of their children.’

Immigration Rules link corrected.

‘For further information see’ – one source no longer available, deleted this and removed bullets as only one remaining. Updated signposting and link to Women’s Aid resource.

Information sharing with immigration enforcement

First sentence, deleted ‘approved by Chief Constables’ Council on 23 April 2020.’

Male victims

Updated name of charity from Men’s Advice Line to Respect and corrected the link.

Corrected the links for the UK Gold Book; the Mankind Initiative; the Oak Book.

‘For further information see’ – deleted the CPS signpost and link. Added Domestic Abuse Commissioner support signpost and link; Respect Men’s Advice Line signpost and link.

Victims from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities

HBV changed to HBA.

‘For further information’ – Added signpost and link to APP Victim and witness care. Corrected broken links to the Control Wheel and CPS advice.

‘Organisations that can assist…’ – corrected links to GALOP, Stonewall and Stonewall Scotland.

‘For further information see’ – deleted the first bulleted link and took away bullets. Corrected the remaining signpost and link to Donovan et al. 

Scottish Transgender Alliance link and signpost wording corrected.

ONS signpost wording and link corrected.

Victims with a disability

Inserted the word ‘significantly’ prior to ‘more likely to experience DA’, mid-paragraph. Removed the specific ONS percentages line as this is quickly out of date and fluctuates annually. Updated the ONS link and signpost to their website.

‘See also’ – updated wording and link for CPS. Added ‘The Unseen’ link.

Teenagers and young persons

Paragraph commencing ‘Similarly, if the…’ last sentence – changed wording slightly ‘…schools and charities, such as…’ – deleted ‘Troubled Families’ and included SafeLives and added a link.

Paragraph starts ‘Changes in how people communicate…’ – second sentence, added: ‘This could be’ before directly, for example, by sending abusive or harassing messages or; then added ‘sending or threatening to send intimate images or videos.’

‘For further information see’ – deleted first bulleted link as no longer valid. Added SafeLives and deleted remaining three, as well as bullet format. 

NEW SECTION: Children as victims of domestic abuse

This entire section is new.

Abuse of older people

Added paragraph before the ‘For further information see’ – Starts ‘Section 42’. 

Deleted the paragraph ‘Some useful multi-agency case examples’ – this was previously the last paragraph before the ‘For further information’ part.

‘For further information see’ – deleted Action on Elder Abuse and replaced with Hourglass signpost and link. Deleted CPS. Added policy guidance link to CPS; added APP links to Adults at risk; vulnerable adults; vulnerable adult abuse investigation and safeguarding adults boards.

Children to parent abuse

Removed the last sentence of the first paragraph and replaced with ‘the definition includes those with a parent relationship with the child, so would cover foster parents, for example. 

‘For further resources’ – Family Lives link corrected; Respect signpost and link added; PAARS deleted.

‘For further information see’ – Deleted CPS and Home Office. Changed SafeLives link and signposting and deleted list format. 

Sibling abuse

First paragraph/first sentence took the link off the definition of domestic abuse.

Deleted the next paragraph.

• CPS Domestic Abuse Guidelines for Prosecutors changed from Annex D to Annex E
• Removal of Women's Aid Survival Charter paragraph
• CPS Guidance on Victims Personal Statement updated
• CPS Guidance on Special Measures updated 
• Addition of the section on Contact from Prisoners
• CPS Guidelines on Withdrawals and Witness Summons
• Added in reference to updating MARAC when there is a change to individual living within different force area
• Amendments to the Sanctuary Scheme section - inclusion of SBD, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and National Stalking Helpline
• Removal of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service reference
• Reference to Operation Encompass added

• End of deployment section (last bit before Checklist: Deployment)

Removed: For further information see College of Policing (2015) The Essex Body Worn Video Trial, Owens, Mann and McKenna.

Added: See NPCC Body Worn Video Guidance (2023)

Throughout the module, where the abbreviation HBV is used it was swapped to HBA

Body-worn video

Under further information see, the two bullets were deleted and the reference NPCC (2023) Body-Worn Video guidance was added and a new link included.

Why a victim might appear unwilling to engage

Beneath the ‘You might be thinking’ tables, under ‘See also’ the last bullet was deleted and the links updated.

Unsupportive victims and the evidence-led approach

The Joint NPCC and CPS checklist link has been updated.

Under ‘See’ the three checklist links have been corrected.

First accounts and body-worn video

Under ‘See body-worn video’ the link has been updated.

Victim’s views on obtaining a restraining order and victim personal statement

MG5 replaced with ‘case summary’ x 2.

Last paragraph wording insertion: ‘officers must evidence impact on the victim in the initial testimony. It is one of the points to prove for controlling or coercive behaviour. They will be able to make a more detailed…this is a right under the MoJ Code of Practice for Victims’.

Injury photos

Paragraph inserted, comes second after bullets. ‘It is important for officers to be aware of skin tone bias when assessing injuries and requesting photographs of injuries on darker skin. Differences in redness and bruising visibility need to be taken into account when photos are taken. This may require use of a specialist photographer.’

Free national helpline details

Link updated and Women’s Aid removed from the Refuge helpline. Welsh Women’s Aid link updated.

Referrals to voluntary sector support agencies

First paragraph. Deletion of text from ‘the police should’ to ‘explicit consent from the victim to do so.’ Replaced with ‘a victim has the right to access support services, whether or not they choose to report the crime to the police. Officers should be aware of and able to refer victims to appropriate support services, including those by and for minority groups. They should take into consideration any increased risk to the victim that a referral might create.’

Abbreviation in brackets (BME) removed.

Paragraph commencing ‘For information on more specialist services, the Women’s Aid’ – Gold Book link corrected.

Paragraph commencing ‘Officer should ensure not…’ Added the last sentence: ‘Officers should also keep in mind the possibility that a perpetrator may try to find the victim through a missing person’s report.’

NCDV – added last sentence: ‘These services are means tested.’

CPS DA guidelines – changed Annex D to E and corrected the link.

Corrected a broken link

/app/major-investigation-and-public-protection/domestic-abuse/victim-safety-and-support#keeping-the-victim-informed

7 broken links corrected to internal sections of DA APP.

Item 6 changed DASH to DARA

Item 22 on the checklist - amended wording from harassment and stalking to harassment or stalking.

• Middle of introduction paragraph: 

Old wording:  It responds to a number of developments in the field of domestic abuse, in particular a new Home Office definition of domestic violence and abuse. The definition recognises…

New wording: It responds to a number of developments in the field of domestic abuse, in particular a new Home Office definition of domestic violence and abuse, and the statutory definition set out in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. These recognise the significance…

• Under HMIC recommendation 5 section:

ONS link updated to 2016 version and percentage changed from 46% to 44%. Addition of ‘For more information on domestic abuse figures see Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview 2023.’ 

• Under terminological note section

Code of Practice for Victims of Crime link updated to 2020 version from 2015 version.

Minor changes to content under the 'Investigation' heading:

The following sentence has been removed:

Cases categorised as high risk should normally be identified as serious and complex in the force investigation policy.

References to MAPPA have been removed, and clarification around LSCBs has been added. 

In the introduction section, the line for further information was amended to delete date and the word 'interim'. The link was also deleted and replaced with the correct, working link.

Changes were made twice, once to DVPN then DVPO sections. These changes were:

• On National Domestic Violence Helpline it states (Run by Refuge and Women's Aid). Deleted Women's Aid.
• CPS Domestic Abuse Guidelines - Annex D - National support organisations - changed this to the correct Annex E and updated the link.

4 broken links fixed, all to internal checklists. Protecting the scene, statement of the first officer at the scene, DVPO application, role of the specialist domestic abuse officer. 

The section under 'Specific management considerations when dealing with police perpetrators of domestic abuse' has been deleted and replaced with new text. These changes were required due to a super-complaint investigation. 

Sub-section 'Sanctuary schemes' - removed the link to the SbD Installation Manual as an urgent request from Mark Dowse, to prevent perpetrators having access to all precautions taken to protect their victims/survivors by the Scheme. Replaced the link to SbD (at the end of the same paragraph)  to the link Mark provided on his most recent contact.

Updated broken links to Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics section changed to -

Code of Practice for Ethical Policing 

The Code of Practice for Ethical Policing states that there is a requirement to ensure that staff understand the requirements of, and are supported to implement, the Victims’ Code. This includes consideration of their welfare needs and referral to support services.

UKBA reference removed in Domestic abuse > Understanding risk and vulnerability > Risk identification and assessment > Victims from armed services, families and emergency service/public service personnel > 5th paragraph > last sentence

Edited 'Signs of a disturbance' section to include reference to the National Crime Agency's (NCA) Forensic Medical Advice Team, which runs the National Injuries Database.

New section added – Principles for telephone or video first response to domestic abuse.

Review of all existing links to the 2011 ABE guidance and update the reference to the new 2022 guidance.

Review of all existing links to the 2011 ABE guidance and update the reference to the new 2022 guidance.

Updated section added - Victims with insecure or uncertain immigration status.

Investigation sub-heading: below bullets, paragraph commencing 'Domestic abuse investigations may...' One addition, one deletion. Sentence 'Those cases identified as serious and complex investigations...' added, at this point brackets '(for example, CCB and stalking). Deleted the last sentence of this paragraph.

Next paragraph starting 'The investigation' Deleted content of the paragraph and replaced with 'The PIP level 2 course can be accessed by registered users on College Learn.' Added link to log in. 

Paragraph starting 'Domestic abuse specialist officers should maintain...' - last paragraph was divided into two, LSCBs was deleted and the words 'relevant local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements were added.

Updated link for Revenge Pornography Guidance.

Updated link for Revenge Pornography Guidance.

Links to BWV guidance and BWV Essex trail 2015 amended after report of broken links.

Updated link for Revenge Pornography Guidance.

Error on Safelives link corrected, plus link added to Home Office Guidance

Link added to 'College of Policing: Principles for the identification, assessment and management of serial or potentially dangerous domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators'.

Update/add reference to CoP (2020) Revenge Porn document.

Update/add reference to CoP (2020) Revenge Porn document.

College ‘Principles for the management of serial and potentially dangerous perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking’ document added.

Link to HOCR updated.

Paragraph added to technology and social media in relation to replacement phone.

Update to include Adult Social Care as one of Marac's core agencies.

Amended wording around cautions.

Updated link provided - removal of Rainbow link, replaced with GALOP.

Vetting level specified at NPPV3 level for all interpreters (excluding telephone interpreting).

Addition of link to gov.uk page on resources for armed forces domestic abuse.

Changes made to several pages in response to a law change (the offence of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family context).

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Update a link to 2015 Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Link to HM Government (2008) Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers replaced with HM Government (2015) Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.

Link to HM Government (2008) Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers replaced with HM Government (2015) Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers Link to CPS (2015)

Domestic abuse charging advice sheet added

Link to HM Government (2008) Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers replaced with HM Government (2015) Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.


Link to CPS (2015) Domestic abuse charging advice sheet added.

Link to HM Government (2008) Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers replaced with HM Government (2015) Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.


Link to CPS (2015) Domestic abuse charging advice sheet added.

Link to HM Government (2008) Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers replaced with HM Government (2015) Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.


Link to CPS (2015) Domestic abuse charging advice sheet added.

Addition of holding pages for Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse, pointing to current live content.