When the system doesn’t see the signs: the link between domestic abuse and suicide

New figures released in March 2025 confirmed a devastating reality: more people in the UK are dying by suicide following domestic abuse than are being killed by a current or former partner. This is not a new warning—survivors, families, and frontline professionals have been raising the alarm for years. In this blog, we examine the critical need to treat domestic abuse, mental health, and suicide as part of the same picture—and why early, joined-up support is essential to saving lives.

Suicide is now the leading cause of death in domestic abuse cases

New data published this week has confirmed what survivors and frontline services have been saying for years: suicide and domestic abuse are inextricably linked.

In the year to March 2024, there were 98 suspected suicides linked to abusive relationships—more than the number of intimate partner homicides over the same period.

In many of these cases, coercive and controlling behaviour was a driving factor. This should stop us in our tracks.

Every one of those lives lost represents someone who experienced unimaginable harm and didn’t get the help they needed in time. It doesn’t have to be this way.

But it will keep being this way if we continue to treat mental health, domestic abuse, and suicide as separate issues—handled by different teams, under different frameworks, with missed opportunities in between.

At SafeLives, we’ve long called for a joined-up approach. In our mental health spotlight report, Safe and Well, we called for an effective, coordinated response between health, domestic abuse, and mental health services—so that survivors are met with support, not silos.

Our Psychological Violence report showed that nearly half (47%) of survivors of non-physical abuse experienced suicidal thoughts. Behind each statistic is a person who has suffered deeply—and who needed wraparound, compassionate support long before reaching crisis point.

We know that psychological abuse, especially when part of a pattern of coercive control, can lead to feelings of hopelessness, despair, and trauma. And we know that these feelings can push people to the edge.

That’s why all professionals coming into contact with survivors—whether in health, social care, housing, education, or criminal justice—must be trained to recognise the signs of domestic abuse and respond in a way that is timely, trauma-informed, and rooted in the lived experiences of survivors.

A turning point for justice—but more is needed

We welcome the news that police forces across the UK are now exploring the use of manslaughter charges where a perpetrator’s abuse is found to have caused their partner to take their own life. This follows heartbreaking cases like that of Kiena Dawes, who died by suicide at the age of 23 after experiencing prolonged psychological abuse.

Her death—and the deaths of so many others—must mark a turning point. Coercive control is not lesser abuse. It can be invisible, all-consuming, and lethal.

Too often, bereaved families are left without justice—watching their loved one’s experience of abuse be overlooked, dismissed, or not fully recognised. The pain of that injustice only compounds their grief. When the criminal justice system fails to name and respond to domestic abuse as the driving factor behind suicide, it not only lets survivors down—it leaves families without justice and allows those who abuse to continue with impunity, putting more lives at risk.

We know that many perpetrators do not stop with one victim. They move from one relationship to the next, leaving a trail of trauma behind them. This isn’t just about justice after a life has been lost—it’s about protecting those still at risk, and preventing further loss.

The law must continue to evolve to reflect the lived reality of survivors, recognising the full impact of psychological abuse and holding perpetrators to account for the harm they cause.

But criminal justice alone is not enough. Every agency must be equipped to spot the signs of high-risk behaviour and offer early, wraparound support—long before someone reaches crisis point.

What needs to change

If we’re serious about saving lives, we need early intervention. We need services that work together—with the survivor at the centre. And we need to confront the uncomfortable truth: that domestic abuse continues to be a leading driver of suicide, and far too often, we only join the dots when it’s too late.

At SafeLives, we’re working with police forces through our DA Matters programme to increase understanding of the psychological impact of abuse. One of our ‘Workshop for Cops’ delves into the link between coercive control and suicidality, helping professionals identify high-risk patterns before it’s too late. But more is needed.

We’re calling for:

• Recognise and respond: All agencies must understand the link between domestic abuse and mental health, and factor this into their safeguarding and support responses.

• Work together: A multi-agency, whole-picture approach is the only way to ensure no one falls through the cracks.

• Hold perpetrators to account: We support the move to charge perpetrators with manslaughter in cases where abuse leads to suicide, recognising the catastrophic harm caused.

• Train professionals: From GPs to housing officers to social workers, we must equip people with the tools to spot abuse and take action.

• Centre survivor voice: Survivors must be at the heart of shaping the response — because they are the experts by experience. They know what good looks like.

No more missed opportunities

Abuse doesn’t end when the bruises fade. Its impact can be lifelong—and in far too many cases, life-ending.

Let’s stop looking at this in silos. Let’s see the whole person and the whole picture. And let’s do everything we can to make sure no one else reaches the point where ending their life feels like the only way out.

Need support? You are not alone.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, support is available.

Visit: www.safelives.org.uk/gethelp

📞Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7): 0808 2000 247

If you’re struggling with your mental health or having thoughts of suicide, you can call the Samaritans any time, day or night:

📞 116 123 (free from any phone)  🌐 www.samaritans.org

You are not alone. There is help. There is hope.