University of Edinburgh Social Work expert contributes to the national multi-agency Domestic Homicide Review Model for Scotland
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Professor John Devaney, Centenary Chair of Social Work at the University of Edinburgh, has written a new paper to inform the development of Scotland’s model for reviewing domestic abuse-related homicides in Scotland.
Professor Devaney is a member of the Government’s Domestic Homicide Review Taskforce, which is leading development of a new process to ensure lessons are learned following homicides where domestic abuse is suspected. He will also take up the role of Chair of the Taskforce’s Model Development Subgroup which will underpin the work of the Taskforce.
Today, the Government released several documents setting out the evidence base for the development of the new domestic homicide review model. These include Professor Devaney’s working paper, The role of domestic homicide reviews in improving service responses and reducing preventable deaths: Reflections on identifying and implementing learning.
The paper’s key points include:
- In spite of the best efforts of those working within the gender-based violence field - the death of adults and children as a consequence of domestic abuse and family violence remains a serious problem.
- While the deaths of individuals through illness and accidents have been closely monitored, those resulting from domestic homicide are more difficult to ascertain because the perpetrators, usually intimate partners, and occasionally other family members, are less likely to be forthcoming about the circumstances due to the inevitable legal consequences and public condemnation.
- While the homicide rate in Scotland is low, the number of female victims rose from 10 to 16 in 2021/2022, with more than half (56%) of those killed by a partner or ex-partner.
- Internationally there appears to be increased interest in establishing review systems for individuals who die or are seriously injured through domestic abuse. This is, in part, attributed to the influence of international conventions, an increase in media attention into domestic homicides and perceived failings in the domestic abuse system, and the growth in corporate governance processes.
- The Scottish Government has committed to examine approaches in other jurisdictions, elsewhere in the UK and internationally, to help develop a Scotland-specific system which learns from the circumstances around domestic abuse-related homicides in Scotland. The aim of such a review system is to prevent future fatalities through strengthening the responses to those who harm others, and increase the support available to adult and child victims.
While the foci and methods used to complete such reviews can differ significantly internationally, Professor Devaney’s paper explores how reviews may be undertaken in ways that ensure learning generated has an opportunity to improve service responses and reduce the incidence of preventable deaths. The working paper and its conclusions are based on his experience working in the field of fatal family violence, his research in this area, and his role as convenor of the international Community of Practice for the Study of Domestic Homicide.