Families of domestic abuse victims are at breaking point - today they hope for answers

What started as a WhatsApp group for dozens of grieving families has ended up gathering enough momentum to reach Westminster.

Warning: This article contains content you may find distressing.

The parents and relatives of loved ones who have taken their own life following domestic abuse are angry, at a loss, but up for a fight.

Sharon Holland is among those furious at how difficult it is to hold a potential perpetrator accountable for their loved ones' deaths.

Her daughter, Chloe, died by suicide in 2023 after being in a controlling relationship.

Chloe, 23, suffered months of torment at the hands of her former partner. At the time of his conviction, police said Chloe was a victim of a "horrific campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour".

Two years on, Ms Holland has shared experiences and developed bonds with families who have been through the same trauma.

But charges and convictions for those potentially responsible are rare. That's despite figures from the Domestic Homicide Project, funded by the Home Office and led by the National Police Chiefs' Council, showing more domestic abuse victims take their own lives in England and Wales than are killed by their partner.

There were 1,012 domestic abuse-related deaths in England and Wales between 2020 and 2024, of which 354 were suspected suicides compared to 332 homicides.

Families at 'breaking point'

Ms Holland's group are now calling for "justice for all victims of domestic abuse-related suicides" by bringing their campaign to Westminster today.

Asked if this is a movement born out of families being at breaking point, Ms Holland said: "Absolutely.

"All of us mums or sisters all feel the same, that we don't want this happening to someone else. It's being dragged out for years and during that time the mums are becoming more and more ill, their health is going downhill, they're stressed out all the time, on alert, and they just can't get anywhere with it.

"There's so many warnings with the police or with the NHS with various agencies that this could not end well for their daughters, and unfortunately it takes the person to die, and then we find out what the failings are."

Families who believe there has been foul play, or know the abuse their loved ones suffered at the hands of an intimate partner contributed to them taking their own lives, say it's difficult to be taken seriously.

"The majority of them have been fighting for five years," Ms Holland said. "They've been waiting for the police to get back to them or waiting for the CPS to charge.

"One lady has just waited five years, only to finally hear back from the CPS only to find out they're not going to charge.

"So that poor woman's health has gone downhill, fighting for her daughter, who she suspects was a staged suicide and got nowhere."

'Heartbreaking' for families

Families are often fending for themselves, according to Pragna Patel, co-founder of Project Resist, a charity that supports people affected by domestic abuse and violence.

She said families "are having to navigate the system entirely on their own as they try to find out the circumstances in which their loved ones took their lives and to find out how and why this happened".

"It's really heartbreaking to see these families knocking at the doors of the police, knocking at the door of coroners, saying: 'We know these deaths are suspicious, we know there is a history of coercive and controlling behaviour and domestic abuse behind these deaths, and we want you to investigate.'

"On the whole, families are met with a culture of indifference, apathy and ignorance. They're just not getting the attention they need."

'We must do more,' says minister

Ms Holland and a host of other families will gather in parliament later to meet safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.

Ahead of the meeting, Ms Phillips told Sky News: "Every death linked to domestic abuse is a tragedy. We must do more to prevent them, and I will be meeting Project Resist to discuss how we can hold perpetrators to account more effectively.

"We are funding the Domestic Homicide Project to capture information on domestic abuse related deaths, including suicides, from all 43 police forces in England and Wales to improve our understanding of this issue.

"But more needs to be done. Our upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will set out our plans to strengthen our response to all domestic abuse related deaths."

Sky News understands there are a number of active cases being pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Part of prosecutors' assessment of a case includes developing an understanding of the relationship history between the victim and a potential suspect and trying to understand the victim's state of mind before their death.

But they are relying on evidence and witness statements that need to be taken in a timely manner.

They say they are raising awareness through tailored training about the links between domestic abuse and suicide, so officers are better equipped to exercise "professional curiosity".

Ahead of the campaign's launch, a spokesperson for the CPS said: "Domestic abuse is a heinous crime and our prosecutors are actively advised to consider murder and manslaughter charges in suicide cases where there is a known context of domestic abuse or other controlling or coercive behaviour.

"We have previously charged a number of defendants for causing the death of a partner they abused, including in proceedings which are currently active.

"We are also working with police and other stakeholders to ensure these kinds of offences are well-understood - so that we can bring perpetrators to justice for the full extent of their crimes."

'You cannot move forward'

Families so far have had to rely on the inquest to scrutinise the circumstances of their loved one's death.

Chloe died two years ago and hers is yet to happen.

Ms Holland: "The way all this drags out, you cannot sit down, move forward and just grieve. You're constantly on high alert, fighting everyone, and just hoping that it'll be over soon."

A delay for answers and further delay for grief.

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

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