Police report shows first domestic abuse suicide case involving under-18s

A case of suicide following domestic abuse where both victim and suspect were aged under 18 has been included in official police data for the first time.

It's among 150 suspected cases where abuse victims ended their lives in the year ending March 2025, as part of the annual Crime Survey for England and Wales.

The report also shows a higher proportion of young people aged 16 to 19 were victims of domestic abuse, at 18.2%, compared to those aged 25 and older.

The national policing lead for domestic abuse, assistant commissioner Louisa Rolfe, said access to violent pornography and "toxic influencers" online may be fuelling abuse cases among teenagers.

"People are now much more likely to access violent pornography, which normalises violence and behaviour in a relationship," she said, highlighting "hugely dangerous" non-fatal strangulation.

She added: "We see the connection between the sort of sense of toxic influencers online and their sort of views that are promoted about women and women's status in society."

The report shows a higher proportion of police-recorded domestic homicides where a victim committed suicide after suffering abuse, compared to those where a partner killed the victim.

In the five years of the annual Domestic Homicide Project, which analyses police-recorded domestic homicides, 553 were suicides following domestic abuse.

Four of them were where the victim was under 16 and the perpetrator was over 18 – three were adult family members and one an intimate partner.

Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said the report "reinforces the need for tougher action to stop perpetrators causing harm".

"Our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy sets out how we are rooting out the causes of domestic abuse-related deaths and deploying the full power of the state to crack down on these vile crimes," she added.

Read more from Sky News:
'Disturbing' rise in abusive teen relationships
Domestic abuser jailed after wife jumped to her death
More domestic abuse victims die by suicide than homicide

'Separate suicide from domestic abuse'

The report comes as campaigners push for a new law to make suicide for domestic abuse a specific criminal offence separate from manslaughter to make it easier for juries to understand.

"I'm speculating that the average juror sees manslaughter as maybe a punch-up in a car park, other types of killing," said Frank Mullane, the CEO of support service Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse.

"I think if we separate suicide from domestic abuse, it will help educate the public."

In the past five years, there have been 17 cases where domestic abuse charges have been brought after a victim committed suicide, three of which investigated possible manslaughter.

Seven more posthumous cases are also expected, and the number of these investigations is expected to rise.

Over the past five years, there were 1,452 reported deaths linked to domestic abuse.

In the year to March 2025, 347 deaths were reported, an increase of 85 on the previous year, most of which are suspected suicides.

Police believe the increase is down to increased recording of these cases rather than a rise in the number of crimes being committed.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

If you suspect you are being abused and need to speak to someone, there are people who can help you.

The National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Women's Aid

Respect, the helpline for male domestic abuse victims: 0808 8010327

Galop, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity: 0800 999 5428

(c) Sky News 2026: Police report shows first domestic abuse suicide case involving under-18s