About this page. This page summarises a Domestic Homicide Review published in the Home Office DHR Library. The full report is available at the source link below. Victim and perpetrator names are not included in extracted summaries on this page.

Source · Domestic Homicide Review

Plymouth review

CSP: Plymouth Published: July 2023 Year of death: 2015 Extracted: 5 recs

Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.

View full report (PDF) ↗ Source: Home Office DHR Library

Summary

The report highlights the unrecognised danger of coercive and controlling behaviours, particularly in elderly relationships, and the lack of professional and public awareness regarding escalating risk factors like deteriorating mental health and threats of separation.

Extracted recommendations

5 recommendations pulled from the report

#	Recommendation	Addressed to
1	The panel recommends that awareness of coercive and controlling behaviours should form part of all campaigns which target both the public and professionals.	Age UK \| PDAS \| local safeguarding boards
2	To recommend that all GP surgeries have ‘stand-alone’ policies for domestic abuse and coercive control. This action will be included in the Community Safety Partnership Action Plan, and GP surgeries or the CCG will be provided with a basic template for a good domestic abuse policy by PDAS. This policy should include guidance on procedure to follow where coercion and control are identified. All GP Surgeries have been provided with a template policy.	GP surgeries \| CCG
3	the panel recommend that GPs consider adding general questions about domestic abuse and coercive control, what is known as Routine Enquiry (RE), with all their elderly patients. This may be especially important where depression or anxiety are identified. This RE could also be part of an annual review for people over the age of 75. This recommendation will be taken forward by the CCG.	GPs \| CCG
4	that the CCG investigate either the use of a tool like IRIS which is specifically designed to help GPs with such issues, or to make sure that at least one person at the surgery is trained in how to respond to disclosures of domestic abuse. Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control are significant issues affecting a significant proportion of the patients in any surgery. There are models for domestic abuse champions to be identified in any organisation. It would be this champion who may take referrals, or could advise the GP or other person who takes a disclosure.	CCG
5	The panel considered that this case be written as an anonymised case study to help professionals understand the often hidden nature of control, and its danger when challenged. This case would also highlight some of the specific problems facing elderly people in our communities. The Independent Chair will write a summary and anonymous version of this case to share with local agencies for use in their training.	Safer Plymouth
Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗