‘Staggering’ number of domestic abuse victims taking own lives
The vast majority of suspects in domestic abuse cases where the victim has taken their own life are known to the police, according to a new report.
Over the past four years, data shows that 92% of suspects in cases of domestic abuse suicides were known to authorities – as one police chief admits “there is an awful lot” for forces and other agencies to “learn and improve” to prevent future deaths.
“I’m really concerned,” said Louisa Rolfe, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and national police lead for domestic abuse.
She told Sky News the number of deaths in a domestic setting are a “staggering and intractable problem”.
The report for England and Wales also shows the number of people taking their own lives following domestic abuse is higher than the number of victims killed by an ex or current partner – for the second year running.
In the 12 months to March 2024, 98 people were suspected to have taken their own life following domestic abuse, while 80 people were killed by a partner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council report says.
In 79% of the suspected suicide cases, either the victim or perpetrator were known to other agencies, such as mental health services and domestic abuse specialists.
Since 2020, the most common form of death recorded in a domestic setting has become suicide following domestic abuse.
Ms Rolfe said the trend was “incredibly sad”.
“We’ve been working with other agencies and we’re really, really keen that we work together to understand how we can prevent these sad deaths… and what we might do to ensure that every victim receives the best possible response from us”, she added.
Victims ‘not being protected’
Deborah Jones runs a small domestic abuse charity in Barnsley, working with victims from across the country.
She says 90% of the women she supports have had suicidal thoughts, while a “large number” have made attempts on their life because “they just can’t see a way out”.
Deborah Jones says domestic violence victims are ‘passed from pillar to post’ by authorities
“Once they’ve reported something that is happening to them, they’re not being protected,” she said. “If they get referred to a service, nobody seems to want to catch them.
“They’re just being referred on to another service… being passed from pillar to post.”
Sky News joined a support session as victims talked about their experiences, where they described the “relentless torment” of their abuse.
Others said they had been “dismissed as mentally ill” and said reporting domestic abuse can be “re-traumatising”.
One woman said she was asked to recount her story “five times” in one day.
Kiena Dawes, Jessica Laverack and Kellie Sutton are three young women who took their own lives following a history of domestic abuse.
Ryan Wellings was the first defendant in England to face trial for the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.
Kiena blamed her partner for her death in a suicide note. He was cleared of her manslaughter, but sentenced to six and a half years in prison for controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault.
After the inquests into the deaths of Jessica and Kellie, coroners issued prevention of future death reports.
In Kellie’s case, the coroner said “matters of concern” included “a lack of understanding of controlling and coercive behaviour […] and the impact on victims”.
Kiena Dawes took her own life. Pic: Lancashire Police
After the inquest into Jessica’s death, the coroner called for more “recognition of the link between domestic abuse and suicide”, saying “processes and policies do not seem to include this serious area to the extent that is required”.
Earlier this month, Sky News spoke to Sharon Holland, whose daughter Chloe took her own life in 2023. Sharon is urging the government to consider tougher sentences for those convicted of coercive control.
‘Difficult’ to identify coercive behaviour, detective says
At Cheshire Police headquarters, the serious case review team examines deaths that have happened in domestic settings.
The team identifies some of the factors that can lead to suicide, in order to help agencies improve their response to domestic abuse and prevent future deaths.
“Coercive and controlling behaviour is by far the highest risk indicator for domestic suicide,” said Detective Nikki Brown.
She said it can be “difficult” for authorities to identify what that behaviour looks like and said officers need to ask “direct” questions.
Another common factor is “separation”, with victims vulnerable after a relationship ends, while perpetrators can become persistent as they’ve “lost that control”.
“They just can’t let it go,” said PC Colin Charlesworth, while out on patrol doing welfare checks on victims with protection orders in place. “They’re obsessed… and want to make their lives a misery. We lock them up, send them down, they’re still doing it from prison.”
Other factors identified in the report include mental ill health, and alcohol and drug misuse.
‘Devastating’
Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG), said “every death related to domestic abuse is a life cut short and a devastating tragedy”.
“The better we understand the links between domestic abuse and homicides, suicides, and unexpected deaths, the better equipped we are to prevent them from happening in the first place,” she added.
Ms Phillips said the policing report “rightly demands coordinated action across government, police and partner agencies to tackle these issues head on”.
“Our upcoming VAWG strategy will set out our ambition and concrete actions to strengthen our response to perpetrators and deliver on our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade,” she said.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
In a small hut next to Newlyn Harbour at the bottom of Cornwall, the next generation of fishermen are quite literally learning the ropes.
Around a dozen students are on the eighth day of a two-week intensive course to become commercial fishers.
From knot and ropework to chart plotting, navigation to sea survival, by the end of the course they’ll be qualified to take a berth on a vessel.
While many are following in the footsteps of their fathers, others are here to try an entirely different career.
Elliot Fairbairn
Elliot Fairbairn, 28, is originally from London and has been working as a groundworker.
“I’m not from a fishing family – I just like a challenge,” he says.
He’s put his current job on hold to see how fishing works out.
“It makes you feel good doing a hard job. I think that’s what’s getting lost these days, people want an easy job, easy money and they don’t understand what it takes to be successful. Sometimes you’ve got to put that in the work.”
Elliot already has a job lined up for next week on a ring-netter boat.
“I’m ecstatic – I’m very pumped!” he tells me.
Students take part in a two-week intensive course to become commercial fishers
Also on the course is 17-year-old Oscar Ashby. He’s doing his A-Levels at Truro College and training to be a healthcare worker at the main hospital in Cornwall.
“I’m part of the staff bank so can work whatever hours I want – which would fit quite well if I wanted to do a week’s fishing,” he says.
It’s his love of being outside that has drawn him to get qualified.
“It’s hands-on, it’s not a bad way to make money. It’s one of the last jobs that is like being a hunter-gatherer really – everything else is really industrialised, ” Oscar says.
The course was over-subscribed.
The charity that runs it – Seafood Cornwall Training – could only offer places to half those who applied.
‘A foot in the door’
“The range of knowledge they’re gathering is everything from how to tie a few knots all the way on how to register with HMRC to pay and manage their tax because they’d be self-employed fishermen,” manager Clare Leverton tells me.
“What we’re trying to do with this course is give them a foot in the door.
“By meeting our tutors, skippers on the quay, vessel managers, they start to understand who they’re going to have to talk to to get jobs.”
Getting fresh blood into the industry is vital.
Over the last 30 years, the number of fishermen in the UK has nearly halved – from around 20,000 to 10,000.
The average age of a fisherman in the UK is 55.
Aging workforce
Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations
“I think we’re seeing the effects of having an aging workforce,” says Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO).
“Fishing is a traditional occupation in most places around the country. A lot of family businesses, and as people are getting older, they’re starting to retire out of the industry.”
The decline comes at a time of frustration and anger in the industry too.
Many feel the prime minister’s post-Brexit deal with the EU back in May sold fishing out by guaranteeing another 12 years of access to EU boats to fish in UK waters, rather than allowing it to be negotiated annually.
“A large part of the effort the EU exerts in UK waters is within our territorial waters, so within 12 miles of the shore. And that’s the area that’s most pressured,” adds Mr Cohen.
“For new people getting into the industry it’s the area that they can reach in the sort of small boats that new starters tend to work in. They’re increasingly pressured in that space and by keeping all of those European boats having access to it for free, for nothing, that puts them under even more pressure.”
The government says it will always back “our great British fishing industry” and insists the EU deal protects Britain’s fishing access.
‘A brilliant career’
To further promote getting young people into commercial fishing, the Cornwall Fish Producers Organisation has helped set up the Young Fishermen Network.
Skipper Tom Lambourne, 29, helped set up the group.
“There’s not enough young people coming into it and getting involved in it,” he says.
“It’s actually a brilliant career. It’s a hard career – you do have to sacrifice a lot to get a lot out of fishing – your time is one of them. But the pros of that certainly outweigh it and it’s a really good job.”
Tom Lambourne, from the Young Fishermen Network
Tom says the network supports new fishers by holding social events and helping them find jobs: “There’s never been a collective for young fishermen.
“For a youngster getting into the fishing industry to be sort of part of that – knowing there’s other youngsters coming in in the same position – they can chat to one another, it’s pretty cool really.”
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In 2021, UK fishing contributed around 0.03% to GDP – with an economic output of £483m.
Economically, it is not a big player.
However, studies suggest that each fisherman creates 15 other jobs in the seafood trade on land.
It’s also a huge part of the fabric of the UK’s identity and landscape – and one that the next generation will have to fight to keep alive.
Well-wishers are being urged to send 100th birthday cards to a Second World War veteran who served in the Arctic Convoys to make his surprise celebration extra special.
Dougie Shelley, who has no known surviving family, joined the Royal Navy at 17, served as a seaman gunner and said earlier this year: “There’s not many of us left.”
Mr Shelley during his Royal Navy days. Pic: PA
The sailor, of Southend in Essex, was on a ship in Hong Kong when news came through of Germany’s surrender, and said in a previous interview that it “couldn’t have been better”.
He said: “The war killed so many people, it’s unbelievable. All around, the Americans, Russians, all the Allies, the same with the Germans.
“But you were doing a job, the same as they had to. It’s either kill or be killed.
“When we heard about victory in Europe, everybody got together and we all had a good old drink up and jolly up, and couldn’t welcome it much better.”
Pic: PA
Mr Shelley will turn 100 on 23 September.
John Hawes, chairman of the Southend branch of the Royal Naval Association, is appealing for people to send birthday cards for Mr Shelley, which will be shown to him at a party on the day.
‘Loves a tot of rum’
Mr Hawes told Sky News Mr Shelley was the branch’s “last Arctic convoy veteran and also he was at D-Day”.
Mr Shelley “will love this”, Mr Hawes said, adding that the veteran is “very talkative and loves to talk about his naval career” and “likes a tot of rum on a daily basis, so we’re hoping that when he joins us, we can have a tot of rum with him”.
John Hawes will be baking Dougie Shelley’s birthday cake
Mr Hawes is hoping to collate at least 100 birthday cards and may get some help from France.
He has contacted an English teacher at a school in Normandy to ask students there to send cards, as they do to British veterans at Christmas.
Dougie Shelley was a gunlayer, Mr Hawes said, and was responsible for aiming a ship’s guns, serving on the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Milne.
‘Brought a tear to his eye’
He “would have gone through quite a bit” and, among other things, would have been responsible for “chipping ice off the guns” while “wearing his duffle coat and maybe three or four pairs of gloves”.
“He did tell me about ships being torpedoed, and it brought a tear to his eye when he saw what had actually happened.”
He was also on the Milne when it was deployed off the Normandy coast in support of the D-Day landings, and “might have been shelling some of the fortifications there”, Mr Hawes said.
“Dougie really had his work cut out there being a gunlayer.”
A tea party and cake
A tea party is being laid on for the big day, with Mr Hawes, who was a chef and baker on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, down to bake a Victoria sandwich birthday cake, and a lot of guests are expected.
“Dougie will have a lot of friends there, especially shipmates from our branch,” Mr Hawes said.
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Earlier, Mr Hawes said he “really deserves something, he has been one of our founder members way back in 1980 I think it was when the actual club opened.
“He’s always been with us on Remembrance Sunday in his wheelchair, and somebody’s pushed him up to the cenotaph at Southend.
“I think he’s going to thoroughly enjoy it, he really will, he’ll be over the moon,” said Mr Hawes.
“Dougie always likes to let everybody know he’s there, and this will blow his socks off I think.”
Mr Shelley’s carer Paul Bennett said he was on the HMS Milne on D-Day “supporting the chaps going off to land in craft ashore in Normandy, and he was a gunner keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft”.
The birthday cards can be sent to the Royal Naval Association club, 73-79 East Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6LQ.
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