Key Facts

• Last year, 347 deaths in England and Wales involved domestic abuse, including 150 suicides and 125 homicides.
• Most victims (73%) were female; most suspects (79%) were male over a five-year period.
• The Domestic Homicide Project recorded 1,452 deaths linked to domestic abuse from various causes in five years.
• 88% of suicide victims had a known history of domestic abuse reported to the police.
• Domestic abuse incidents grew fastest among 16- to 19-year-olds, with this year including the first teenage suicide linked to abuse.
• Police say violent pornography and “toxic” online influencers are normalizing abuse and influencing young people’s behavior.
• Convictions for causing suicide through domestic abuse are rare, and experts want it to be a separate offense to raise awareness.
• The justice system finds it hard to convict abusers because victims cannot testify, and abusers often appear trustworthy to others.