The majority of relatives of women killed by men believe that their relative’s death was preventable
A new survey from Killed Women and Ipsos among the relatives of women who have been killed by men finds that most believe that their relative’s death could have been prevented and that sentences issued do not deliver justice.
In partnership with Killed Women, we developed the first national survey for bereaved families who have lost a female relative to male violence. The aim of this report is to build a broader and more comprehensive understanding of bereaved families' experiences and views.
Key findings
- The majority of the relatives taking part in the survey (67%) believed that their relative’s homicide was fairly or very preventable, while only 4% felt that it was not preventable at all. Two-thirds of relatives said that the perpetrator had a history of violence and abuse, with 47% who said the perpetrator had a history of violence or abuse towards their relative that they were aware of. Services such as the police, GPs, schools and social services knew about this according to 78% of relatives taking part, with many claiming that no action was ever taken prior to their relative’s death.
- Among those relatives where the perpetrator was convicted, 90% felt that the prison sentence received was too short. Many relatives went on to comment about the life-long impact that the crime had on themselves and others, how the severity of the crime was not reflected in sentences issued and inequity with sentences issued for other homicides
- Three in ten (57%) of relatives experienced unwanted and intrusive media coverage following the death of their relative. This caused additional trauma and anxiety and many commented that the media could be very persistent.
Technical note
- The survey was developed by Killed Women and Ipsos, in consultation with bereaved families, academics, and representatives from the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector.
- The relatives of women who have been killed through male violence were invited to take part in the survey via email, sent by Killed Women and other organisations. The survey link was also made available on the Killed Women website, as well as social media platforms, including Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). In order to be eligible to take part, it was necessary for there to have been a criminal court case which had concluded by the time of the survey or for an inquest to have taken place, the outcome of which found that there had been an unlawful killing.
- A total of 115 respondents took part in the survey between April and September 2023.
