UK parliament to debate whether all suicides linked to domestic abuse to be investigated as homicide

"The current systems and laws are simply not doing enough to protect women, and in too many cases suicides driven by domestic abuse are going unreported. We urgently need to update the law, so that police forces investigate every suicide as a potential homicide where there is a history of domestic abuse."

"Only by making this mandatory will police be able to collect and preserve the best evidence possible to deliver justice for victims and their loved ones. I'd call on colleagues from across the political divide to support the Liberal Democrats amendment to ensure that perpetrators of these horrendous crimes never be able to escape the full force of the law."

"We have been campaigning for a presumption to investigate domestic abuse related suicides as potential homicides and called for changes to police and CPS procedural policy to include such a presumption. Her organisation launched a Suicide is Homicide campaign last year to challenge how the criminal justice system handles suicides related to domestic abuse."

The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the crime and policing bill requiring police forces to investigate suicides as potential homicides when there is reasonable suspicion the death followed domestic abuse. Marie Goldman MP argues current systems fail to protect victims, with many abuse-related suicides going unreported. Mandatory investigation would enable police to collect and preserve evidence more effectively, ensuring perpetrators face justice. Domestic abuse campaigners support the amendment, with organizations like Project Resist and AAFDA having campaigned for years to change how the criminal justice system handles abuse-related suicides. The amendment's success depends on government support or a free vote, given Labour's parliamentary majority.

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