Building an evidence base on suicide following domestic abuse to develop recommendations that strengthen police safeguarding and help prevent suicide following abuse.
| Lead institution | |
|---|---|
| Principal researcher(s) |
Eleanor Watson
|
| Police region |
West Midlands
|
| Collaboration and partnership |
|
| Level of research |
PhD
|
| Project start date |
|
| Date due for completion |
|
Research context
Suicide is now recognised as a significant harm associated with domestic abuse and has become the leading cause of death in domestic abuse-related fatalities in the UK, surpassing deaths caused directly by intimate partner homicide (Hoeger and others, 2025). Women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) are three times more likely to experience suicidality, increasing to seven times in cases involving sexual IPV (Agenda Alliance, 2023). Between 2020 and 2024, domestic abuse was linked to 1,012 reported deaths, 35% of which were deaths by suicide. Of those who died by suicide, nearly nine in 10 were known to partner agencies, highlighting the importance of effective multi-agency risk assessment, information sharing and safeguarding practices (Hoeger and others, 2025).
The relationship between domestic abuse and suicide has only recently gained formal recognition within policy and practice. The Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP) began reporting suspected suicides in domestic abuse cases in 2020. By 2023, suicide had become the most common cause of death among victims, a trend that continued in 2024. In these cases, most victims were female, with male suspects.
Although prosecutions such as manslaughter can be pursued following a victim’s suicide, these cases remain uncommon because of evidential challenges. As understanding of the relationship between domestic abuse and suicide continues to develop, there is increasing emphasis on improving safeguarding responses and developing evidence-based suicide prevention approaches for those experiencing domestic abuse.
Research methodology
This project will evaluate the implementation and impact of the Domestic Abuse Suicide Safeguarding Toolkit, developed to support practitioners in identifying and responding to the risks of suicide among survivors of domestic abuse. The research will seek to strengthen the evidence base surrounding suicide following domestic abuse and inform future safeguarding practice.
The study will use a mixed-methods design. Qualitative interviews with survivors and focus groups with West Midlands Police (WMP) domestic abuse desk officers will explore experiences of suicide risk, safeguarding needs and current practice. Findings from this phase will inform a Delphi study involving experts from policing, domestic abuse services, healthcare and academia to develop consensus on recommended safeguarding approaches.
The agreed recommendations will inform the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Suicide Safeguarding Toolkit within WMP domestic abuse desks. The impact of the toolkit will then be evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods, including analysis of police and safeguarding data and exploration of practitioner and survivor experiences of the new approach. Findings will contribute to the development of evidence-informed guidance for policing and partner agencies responding to the risks of suicide following domestic abuse.
Interim reports or publications
Christie C and others (2025). Domestic Abuse links to suicide: Rapid review, fieldwork and quantitative analysis report. Home Office report.Version 3. University and Birmingham and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
Research participation
To participate in this project, please contact PhD researcher, Eleanor Watson at erw422@student.bham.ac.uk.
References
Agenda Alliance. 2023. 'Underexamined and underreported: Suicidality and intimate partner violence – Connecting two major public health domains'.
Hoeger K and others. 2025. 'Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP): Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2020–2024 – Year 4 Report'.