The LGA has published a survey of domestic homicide reviews
It is often overlooked that local government plays a crucial role in the fight against the scourge of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
Councils are responsible for prevention, support, protection and coordination of a variety of services, and as Leader of South Shropshire District Council, I championed the opening of our first refuge.
This year, LGA lead members and I have ensured that the organisation has renewed its focus in this area by hosting three domestic abuse webinars. These were coordinated with the Home Office, the then Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Office of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. Each webinar had an attendance of around 100 people.
The events focused on tackling domestic abuse among those with no recourse to public funds, best practice in strategic needs assessments, and children as victims in their own right.
The LGA also appointed a Domestic Abuse Champion, Cllr Kelly Middleton, from Telford and Wrekin.
In early 2024, we conducted a survey of councils with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner (DAC). This asked questions about domestic homicide reviews (DHR).
“Between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the number of DHRs undertaken increased by 76 per cent”
A DHR is a multi-agency review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a person to whom they were related or with whom they were, or had been, in an intimate personal relationship, or a member of the same household as themselves.
Since 13 April 2011, there has been a statutory requirement for local areas to conduct a DHR following a domestic homicide that meets these criteria.
Just before the general election, the then government announced an intention to update how DHRs operate. Publication of the results of our survey was delayed because of the election.
The research shows that, between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the number of DHRs undertaken by respondents increased by 76 per cent.
Respondent authorities spent £1 million on DHRs in 2022/23, 45 per cent more than in 2021/22. This reflects the increase in the number of DHRs commissioned. Around three-quarters of expenditure was on DHR chairs, which is also impacted by negotiating with the Home Office Quality Assurance Panel.
The main challenges facing community safety partnerships were Home Office delays (79 per cent), funding (77 per cent), increasing numbers of DHRs (63 per cent) and sourcing chairs (63 per cent).
In response, the LGA, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and the DAC have launched a Domestic Abuse and Related Death Review Forum. So far, 129 people are members and we have held our first meeting.
The LGA used feedback from this forum to inform our response to the Government’s DHR consultation. The forum will be used to inform the new Government of the challenges in this area and possible solutions.
To do justice by victims and family or friends of victims, local government requires adequate resources. I am writing to the new minister making this case.
- Read the LGA’s ‘Domestic homicide review survey 2024’ in full.