Kent researcher calls for domestic abusers to be charged with manslaughter if victims take their own life
It's after a new report released today found the most common cause of death among victims of domestic abuse in the last year was suicide
A researcher from Kent is calling for more domestic abusers - whose victims die by suicide - to be charged with manslaughter.
It's after a new report released today found the most common cause of death among victims of domestic abuse in the last year was suicide.
Tim Woodhouse is a Churchill Fellowship Researcher, who has been looking into the links between domestic abuse and suicide, he said: "Domestic abuse can just wear down the victim down over such a long period of time that they end up feeling trapped and broken and that there is no other way out than to take their own life.
"And the police and the crown prosecution service do need to start considering manslaughter charges in these cases, otherwise the perpetrators are getting away with what they are doing.
"If their behaviour is what is leading to someone else's death then they should be held responsible for that.
"We can also, when supporting victims of domestic abuse, just ask if they are thinking about taking their own life because without asking we won't know what is going on in that person's mind.
"And without knowing that information, then it's very difficult to be a safety plan in place to protect that person."