Underexamined and underreported: New briefing on domestic abuse and suicidality

01/03/2023

Women who experienced abuse from a partner are three times more likely to have made a suicide attempt in the past year compared to those who have not experienced abuse.
Women living in poverty are especially at risk. Around half of women (47%) who are unemployed, or are unable to work due to sickness or disability, have experienced domestic abuse from a partner.
Sexual abuse puts victims at raised risk of self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. With women ten times more likely than men to experience sexual abuse by a partner.

All public authorities must ensure staff are trained to understand the links between domestic abuse and suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. This must be backed up with training on and investment in the appropriate response so survivors get the right support.
A statutory duty should be placed on professionals working across public services, including health, justice, education and welfare to routinely ask whether people are safe. It should become standard practice for midwives, Job centers, Citizens Advice Bureaus, police and probation to make sensitive enquiries to establish whether women and girls have experienced violence and abuse. A routine enquiry about personal safety must be backed up with access to specialist advocates, helplines, refuges and support networks.
Reduce the likelihood of economic abuse by improving women’s opportunities to leave abusers. In particular, changes to how Universal Credit is paid being urgently needed. In 95% of cases of abuse by a partner, there is economic abuse. Household universal credit (UC) payments must be separate by default. Individual benefits must increase annually in line with inflation to ensure that poverty is not a barrier to those leaving abusers.
In cases of suicides or unexpected deaths the police must record and investigate for history of domestic abuse. Police officers working on initial enquiries should make reasonable checks for a known history of domestic abuse crimes, to gain a full picture of the likely/probable causes of death and to make it more likely that perpetrators can be held to account to secure justice.
All national policies and strategies, including the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (planned for 2023), the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and the Women’s Health Strategy must explicitly recognize the links between gender, abuse by a partner and self-harm and suicidality. These strategies must make particular reference to the needs of Black, Asian, minoritised and migratised women and those with muiltiple unmet needs.
Provide sufficient and long-term funding for domestic and sexual abuse charities and specialist service providers. Support services for women and girls in poverty, Black, Asian, minoritised and migratised women and girls, LBTQ+ survivors and those with disabilities must be appropriately provided for, taking into account the effect of systemic disadvantages.

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