The Department of Justice has published executive summaries of two Domestic Homicide Reviews examining the deaths of a male victim with disabilities from the Traveller community and a female victim with mental health needs, as Northern Ireland’s independent review system enters its sixth year.
The reviews into the deaths of ‘Anthony’ and ‘Laura’ — pseudonyms used to protect identities — were both chaired by Jan Melia, one of three independent chairs appointed when Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) were introduced in Northern Ireland in December 2020. The panels made 54 and 14 recommendations respectively, marking a significant disparity in the complexity of learning identified between the two cases.
Barriers facing overlooked victims
The review into Anthony’s death delivers stark warnings about systemic blind spots. The executive summary states:
“Anthony’s life was quite extraordinary, and his case provides us with a unique learning opportunity to learn more about the barriers to services facing male victims, victims with a disability and victims from Traveller communities.
“Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, and we must be aware of stereotyping and the potential for unconscious bias when working with victims.
“Training and awareness raising of domestic abuse that focuses on diverse groups of victims is essential.”
This finding aligns with broader data showing male victims represent a substantial proportion of domestic abuse cases. According to the Office for National Statistics, 6.5% of men in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse in 2024/25 — some 1.5 million men — with men constituting 41% of all victims. In Northern Ireland specifically, PSNI data shows 33% of domestic abuse crime victims in 2024/25 were male, up from 25% in 2004/05.
The identification of Traveller community barriers also resonates with longstanding concerns. Research from Pavee Point has documented how Traveller women face “multiple forms of discrimination and disadvantage” including financial dependency, limited access to transport and phones, and cultural pressures that can prevent disclosure. The 2009 NSPCC report on Traveller children witnessing domestic violence noted the need for “specific provision for Traveller and Roma nomadism” and culturally appropriate responses.
Communication failures and mental health gaps
The review into Laura’s death highlights different systemic failures. The executive summary states:
“The purpose of DHRs is to identify lessons, and the starting point for all reviews is to ask how we can learn from what happened to help prevent and address domestic abuse.
“In this case, the learning is about how we engage with victims/potential victims of abuse; how we listen to, record, and share their experience of abuse, ensuring effective communication with one another as professionals, and with victims and their families.
“Mental health is another area for learning in this case.”
Mental health emerges repeatedly in domestic homicide data. The Home Office analysis of DHRs from 2021-2022 found 94% of victims who died by suicide had at least one vulnerability, with mental ill-health affecting 49% of this group. Across all DHRs, 70% of victims had at least one identified vulnerability.
The wider picture: learning from tragedy
DHRs were established under Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, commenced in Northern Ireland on 10 December 2020. They apply to deaths of people aged 16 or over where violence, abuse or neglect by a relative, intimate partner or household member appears to have been a factor.
The system faces significant pressures elsewhere in the UK. A 2024 survey by the Local Government Association found English authorities were dealing with 370 ongoing DHRs, 144 open cases and 109 pending reviews — with Home Office delays cited as the main challenge by 79% of respondents.
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s 2025 oversight report noted that between April 2023 and March 2024, there were 108 domestic homicides in England and Wales — a quarter of all homicides — with the Home Office estimating each death costs society £2.9 million.
Critical questions
These publications raise several pressing issues:
- Implementation gaps: With 68 total recommendations across two cases, how will the Department of Justice track whether changes are actually made? The Domestic Abuse Commissioner has called for stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure DHR learning leads to action.
- Resource allocation: The disparity between 54 recommendations for Anthony’s case and 14 for Laura’s suggests varying complexity, but also potentially varying thoroughness. Is there consistent methodology across different DHR chairs?
- Family involvement: The press release does not indicate whether Anthony or Laura’s families contributed to the reviews. Best practice, as outlined by Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse, emphasises that families “may know of attempts your family member or friend made to get help from organisations” that professionals missed.
- Publication delays: DHRs are commissioned within six weeks of death, but criminal proceedings and inquests can pause reviews for years. The dates of these deaths are not disclosed — how long did these families wait for answers?
- Intersectional responses: Anthony’s case required understanding of disability, ethnicity and gender simultaneously. Does Northern Ireland’s service infrastructure have the specialised capacity to respond to such complex needs?
What happens next
The executive summaries are available on the Department of Justice website. The full reports remain confidential to protect identities, particularly of children involved.
The Department notes that DHRs form part of the broader Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy 2024-2031, launched in September 2024, which includes five pillars: partnership, prevention, children and young people, support and provision, and justice.
Anyone affected by domestic abuse can contact the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline free on 0808 802 1414, 24 hours a day.