The latest figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) have revealed a significant increase in the number of domestic abuse victims who have taken their own lives in England and Wales

In the year to March 2025, it is suspected that 150 individuals lost their lives to suicide, marking a substantial rise from the 98 reported in the previous 12 months.

Key findings from The Domestic Homicide Project found 8% of victims were aged 16 to 24 years old. For the first time, in one of the cases reported, both the victim and suspect were aged under 18.

You can read more about these findings via the BBC article here

We spoke with Director & head of Family Law Rachel Horman-Brown KC (Hon) about these harrowing statistics...

Rachel Horman-Brown KC (Hon) is a Director & Solicitor and the head of the Family Department. She specialises in cases of domestic abuse and stalking with a very fast growing niche practice in cases involving coercive control. Her reputation extends beyond the firm’s North of England base across the UK and overseas. In January 2025 Rachel was announced as an Honorary KC

Rachel Horman-Brown KC (Hon)

Director & Solicitor

Head of Family Law

These figures are only the tip of the iceberg in my view and I am working with a number of families who believe that their family member did not just take their own life due to domestic abuse but were encouraged and coerced into doing so by the perpetrator. Coercive control in particular can be so all encompassing that victims feel as though there is no way out and when you add a poor police response into the mix they often feel that they are left with only one means of escape – suicide. 

if you are experiencing domestic abuse or stalking you do not have to suffer alone. We can help develop a safety plan to get you out safely and ensure that yourself and any children are properly protected. Just because the police haven’t helped initially doesn’t mean that nothing can be done. There is always a solution and we can also put you in touch with other experts who can support you practically and emotionally