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

North Somerset review

CSP: North Somerset Published: September 2023 Year of death: 2018 Extracted: 8 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 review highlights how the victim's perceived strength and minimisation of abuse, coupled with financial and social barriers, prevented disclosure. It also notes challenges in third-party reporting, inconsistent professional screening for domestic abuse, and a need for broader community awareness and inter-agency training on risk identification.

Extracted recommendations

8 recommendations pulled from the report

#	Recommendation	Addressed to
12.3.1	The recommendations below should be actioned through a partnership owned Action Plan that is subject to the governance and oversight of the Local Community Safety Partnership and Safeguarding Boards. These overarching recommendations and individual IMR recommendations should be reported on within six months of this review being approved by the Partnership.	Local Community Safety Partnership \| Safeguarding Boards
12.3.2	The Community Safety Partnership raises awareness across agencies and partner front line practitioners in respect of the learning from this particular DHR that would include: How a victim presents as having strength of character as a misrepresentation of true vulnerability. The phenomena of “minimisation”’ and “normalisation”. The considerations of a victim when reaching a decision to report abuse, leave an abusive relationship or take further positive steps to take control; in this DHR these included financial constraints and housing.	Community Safety Partnership
12.3.3	The Community Safety Partnership reviews the policies and practices regarding the use of screening questions for domestic abuse, determining how widespread their use is, how this is tested and the efficacy of asking those questions. In particular, the council to consider its policy for dealing with members of the public seeking advice on housing and ensure that the Home Choice Policy specifically references the “priority” needs of domestic abuse victims. CSP agencies to ensure that staff who work with families, but who do not currently receive mandatory training on domestic abuse, are trained and provided with guidance on how to identify and ask about domestic abuse and how best to provide support. This should include early years workers based in children’s centres	Community Safety Partnership \| North Somerset Council
12.3.4	The CCG reviews and reports how its GP Practices are able to screen patients who may be suffering from domestic abuse and/or actively encourage patients to report domestic abuse to those practices.	CCG
12.3.5	The Community Safety Partnership further develops its programme of awareness raising regarding domestic abuse to enable the community to identify unhealthy behaviours in relationships and that also signposts the role of “friends” and wider community so that people know what to say and how to broach the issue as well as where to seek help and advice or where to report abuse. In developing the approach to raising awareness it needs to: Be forward facing, not hidden and to target wider friendship circles. Highlight the assistance available via the National Domestic Violence Helpline. In this case developing a practical guide to those leaving abusive relationships that is identified as a time of increased risk. Include the learning from this review in respect of how victims may present as being strong and independent whilst being a victim of abuse. Give friends and family guidance on how to raise the issue of domestic abuse with a victim and how best to support them. Encourage and support small businesses to provide support for any staff who may be experiencing domestic abuse.	Community Safety Partnership
12.3.6	The Community Safety Partnership to conduct research into the barriers to reporting domestic abuse for third parties, to seek ways to overcome these barriers and ensure that the findings inform future strategy, policy and practice regarding domestic abuse.	Community Safety Partnership
12.3.7	The Community Safety Partnership to identify and seek to involve all existing services who are likely to deal with victims of domestic abuse in North Somerset, in the development of strategy, policy and practice thereby ensuring consistency of practice.	Community Safety Partnership
12.3.8	The Home Office reviews the licensing and accreditation of registered counselling services to ensure their continued awareness, development and potential contribution to combatting Domestic Abuse.	Home Office
Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗