1. Learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews
Paula Harding
Independent Chair in Dudley’s First DHR

2. Aims of Session
Outline the role and purpose of DHRs
Provide a snapshot of data about who are the victims and perpetrators of domestic homicide
Consider findings from reviews locally, nationally and regionally
Consider how DHRs can make a difference and save lives

3. Must undertake a DHR when
The Law: Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act [2004]
Must undertake a DHR when
the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by—
(a) a person to whom he was related or with whom he was or had been in an intimate personal relationship, or
(b) a member of the same household as himself, held with a view to identifying the lessons to be learnt from the death.

4. Purpose of Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs)
Aim to prevent domestic violence homicide and improve service responses for all domestic violence victims and their children
Look at how well have organisations worked individually or collectively AND
What needs to change to improve services AND
How are we going to make those changes?
NOT ABOUT BLAME

5. Where is the collective knowledge from DHRs?
Since 2011, approx. 750 people killed through domestic violence & abuse.
Composite reviews:
Home Office (2013) = 54 reviews
West Midlands (2014) = 13 reviews
Standing Together (2016) = 32 reviews
Core Cities data trawl (2016) =76 reviews
Birmingham Composite (2017) = 22 reviews
Apply CAUTION in comparison
Are we conflating intimate partner homicide with familial homicide?

6. Domestic Homicide (all) by Gender
Victims
86%
Perpetrators
Source: Home Office (2016), Birmingham (2017)

7. Assault with Head Injuries Pushed down the stairs Drugged
Method of Killing
46% Stabbed
29% Strangled
Burnt
Assault with Head Injuries
Pushed down the stairs
Drugged
Source: Femicide Census (2015); Home Office (2016); Birmingham (2017)

8. Who is killed? (Birmingham)
Average (mean) age 33 . Age range 22-72
68% with dependent children
53% BME
Few with mental health (3/22) or substance misuse (4/22)
Separating = 68%
Majority female domestic violence victims were killed when they were trying to end the relationship or seeking help

9. Who Kills ?(Birmingham)
42% BME
63% had contact with mental health services within the year
52% substance misusing

10. Aggravating Factors: Mental Health & Substance Misuse
Out of 40 DHRs in Home Office Study ……
Mental Health 9
Substance Misuse 6
Mental Health 3
Substance Misuse 4
Perpetrators Victims
Source: Home Office (2016)

11. Police Involvement (Birmingham)
Domestic violence previously reported to police
86%
Assessed as high risk

12. Significant Learning from DHRs
Can differ from serious case review which concern themselves with
Information sharing
Record keeping
Communication between agencies
Training

13. Major Learning from DHRs – Coercive Control
Our agencies rarely understand the coercive nature of domestic violence: what its like to live with intimate terror?
How does this affect our engagement, our judgements, our expectations?
Incident based approach has no place in DA
But its not just agencies that don’t understand

14. Significant Learning – domestic abuse, child protection & safeguarding
Call for a whole system transformation in way we understand coercive control, engagement with victims and understanding of risk
Call for a fundamental change in the way we approach child safeguarding and child protection

15. Significant Learning – Safeguarding from domestic abuse
Invisible Fathers
Need for holistic assessment of risk that the abuser poses to BOTH mother and child.
Heightened risk from separation
Yet ‘our system’ demands separation without addressing the heightened risk
Missed opportunities for early help

16. Significant Learning – Early Help
We must continue to try to change public attitudes:
increase public understanding of coercive control
Increase public understanding of available help
We must BE where victims trust and can access most readily
The GP
The Hospital
The School
The Nursery or early years centre
We must respond with heightened understanding and be empowering

17. Our business is reducing harm and reducing homicide
DV homicide rate decline in U.S
Source: Professor Evan Stark . West Midlands Presentation

18. Our business is reducing harm and reducing homicide
Refuges save lives
Our specialist domestic abuse services are fundamental to harm prevention
You’ve demonstrated in Dudley that supporting specialist services is your priority.

19. Hear from the families…..
Source: AAFDA (2015)

20. Further Information Useful Websites dhr@birmingham.gov.uk