Commissioner and AAFDA write to Government calling for new law on domestic abuse-related deaths

The joint letter follows a high-level parliamentary roundtable in Westminster, bringing together bereaved families, legal experts, parliamentarians, and policing leaders to examine whether the current legal framework goes far enough in delivering justice.

The correspondence sets out growing concerns that existing offences, including manslaughter and assisting or encouraging suicide, do not adequately capture cases where sustained coercive and controlling behaviour contributes to a victim taking their own life.

Commissioner Grunshaw and AAFDA are calling for the creation of a new standalone criminal offence that would better reflect the link between domestic abuse and suicide, strengthen accountability, and ensure families receive the justice they deserve.

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said:“We are increasingly seeing cases where domestic abuse, particularly coercive and controlling behaviour, plays a significant role in someone taking their own life. Yet too often, those deaths are not fully recognised in law.

“That cannot be right. Families are left without answers, and perpetrators are not held properly to account.

“We need a legal framework that reflects the reality victims face. Creating a new offence would help ensure these cases are understood, prosecuted effectively, and taken seriously at every stage of the justice system.

“In Lancashire, we are doing everything we can to strengthen investigations and support those affected, but this is about national change. By working together, we can close this gap in the law, deliver justice for families, and ultimately save lives.”

Frank Mullane MBE, Chief Executive of AAFDA, said:

“This is a matter of public protection. The current system does not adequately hold offenders to account in cases where domestic abuse leads to death, and families are too often left without justice.

“We are delighted to work with the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner to drive this issue forward and build the case for change.”

The roundtable also heard directly from bereaved families, who spoke about the impact of navigating a system that does not fully recognise the role domestic abuse can play in these deaths.

Alongside national campaigning, work is ongoing in Lancashire to improve how suspected domestic abuse-related deaths are identified and investigated, alongside continued partnership with organisations including AAFDA.

This work comes ahead of a further event in July, which will bring together partners from across policing, government, academia and the third sector to continue the national conversation on improving how domestic abuse-related deaths are recognised, responded to, and addressed through the justice system.