Understanding the relationship between domestic abuse and suicide is essential to recognising the true impact of abuse on victims and their families.
Domestic abuse-related suicide is often referred to as a "hidden homicide" because the abuse that contributed to the death may not be immediately visible within official records or statistics. As a result, many victims and families fall outside traditional systems of review, support, and justice.
At Lost Voices, we believe that recognising domestic abuse-related suicide is vital to preventing future deaths and ensuring that victims' experiences are properly understood.
"One in four suicides may be linked to domestic abuse"
- National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC)
The Intersection of Gender, Domestic Abuse and Suicidality
The Intersection of Gender, Domestic Abuse and Suicidality is a research report examining the complex relationship between domestic abuse, gender-based violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Drawing on evidence from survivors, practitioners, and academic research, the report highlights how domestic abuse can be a significant contributing factor to suicidality, particularly among women. It provides important insight into the hidden harms of abuse, identifies gaps in current safeguarding and support systems, and calls for improved recognition of domestic abuse as a critical risk factor in suicide prevention strategies.
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NPCC- Scale of homicide and suicides by domestic abuse victims revealed
New report shows scale of domestic homicides and for the first recorded an increase in suspected suicides by domestic abuse victims.
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Domestic Homicide Project- VKPP work
Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2020-2025 Report
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BBC- Figures show rise in suicides after domestic abuse
There has been a sizeable rise in the number of victims of domestic abuse who took their own lives in England and Wales, official figures show.