Life or Death?
Preventing Domestic Homicides and Suicides of Black and Minoritised Women
‘Life or Death?’ is a groundbreaking report created by Imkaan and the Centre for Women’s Justice; the first of its kind to examine the deaths of Black and minoritised women as a result of domestic abuse. This research provides an in-depth analysis of 46 case studies of domestic abuse.Poignantly, the initial release of this report coincided with the tragic murder of 35-year-old Black woman Perseverance Ncube, who was stabbed to death on November 10 in her Salford home, in front of her two young children. This report and its findings have never been so urgent, shining a spotlight on the systemic failures that continue to cost Black and minoritised women their lives.
Life or Death? delves into the unique and compounding barriers Black and minoritised women face when seeking protection from domestic abuse; highlighting how state failures by police and other services, against a backdrop of intersecting race and sex discrimination, have contributed to the tragic deaths of Black and minoritised women.
The research draws on an in-depth analysis of 46 case studies from the past 10 years: 38 domestic homicides, six suicides following domestic abuse, and two cases involving women who killed their abusive partners. Alongside, it draws on reviews of data available and the insights of frontline workers from the specialist by and for women’s sector. Examining the obstacles faced by Black and minoritised women who lose their lives in domestic homicide and suicide in the context of domestic abuse, the research focuses on the issues they face over and above, and in addition to, the obstacles faced by white women.
The findings reveal a stark picture of systemic failings, from police and service provider bias to the pervasive influence of racial and cultural stereotypes. These factors compound the risks faced by Black and minoritised women, going beyond the obstacles experienced by white women. The research highlights how racial stereotyping often shapes criminal justice narratives, focusing heavily on over-policing while neglecting the lived realities of victim-survivors. For Black and minoritised women, this disconnect creates significant barriers to accessing protection and justice.
The research also underlines the need for a reversal of funding cuts to the specialist by and for sector and shows how a number of deaths could have been avoided if such services had been available to some of the women in the study.
Mary Clarke - Co-Director of Imkaan
’Our data shows that almost all the women who were killed were not receiving support from ‘by and for’ services, even though 71% did disclose abuse to agencies.
Chantelle, one of the women from our research, had approached the police to report her abuse but they minimised her situation which resulted in her not reporting to the police again. No action was taken by the police, and she was killed by her partner a few weeks later. Chantelle’s experience is one that we see sadly, time and time again.
By and for services provide specialist, lifesaving and transformative support for Black & minoritised women and children. Unfortunately, many women cannot obtain support from the ‘by and for’ sector because it is so severely under-funded, and there are some areas of the country that lack any form of specialist support.
Black and minoritised organisations are at five times less likely to obtain statutory funding compared to mainstream organisations . This is reflected in data which shows that only 7.6% of local authorities in England fund Black and minoritised by and for VAWG organisations.
It is vital that we address the systemic failures and gaps in specialist support - otherwise Black and minoritised women will always remain in greater danger of femicide.'
Key Barriers to Reporting:
Community Pressures: Some women face strong expectations to remain silent and avoid disclosing abuse outside their families.
Racism and Mixed Loyalties: High levels of police racism create a fear of reporting, compounded by community pressures and divided loyalties.
Fear of Losing Children: Women often feel trapped between the danger posed by their perpetrator and the threat of social services intervention.
Insecure Immigration Status: For women with precarious immigration statuses, the risk of information being shared with enforcement agencies deters them from seeking help.
State Failings Contributing to Fatal Outcomes:
Acceptance of perpetrators’ narratives, especially when language barriers disadvantage victim-survivors.
Racially biased assessments of credibility by police and service providers.
Harmful stereotypes and assumptions influencing frontline responses.
Lack of support for those with No Recourse to Public Funds, forcing women to choose between homelessness and remaining with an abuser.
Failure to recognize and address the risks associated with so-called 'honour-based abuse.'
Criminalization of survivors through counter-allegations from perpetrators.
Missed opportunities by healthcare providers to identify signs of domestic abuse.
This report underscores the urgent need for systemic change, including the reversal of funding cuts to specialist "by and for" services, which are uniquely positioned to address the intersectional needs of Black and minoritised women. Many of the tragedies documented could have been avoided if adequate support had been available.
‘Empowering Black and minoritised women through by and for services like our organisation are vital, recognising that diverse communities require specialised, culturally sensitive support to thrive. It ensures that their voices, unique needs and experiences take centre stage, driving the transformation they deserve. Authentic solutions arise when those with lived experiences lead the way.’
- Imkaan members responding to the report findings and in particular on the importance
of ensuring there is appropriate protection and support in place to prevent femicide
Harriet Wistrich, Director of Centre for Women’s Justice:
’The report highlights a number of ways in which the state failings may amount to indirect discrimination and be in breach of obligations signed up to in international treaty conventions. We intend to explore further action to challenge such failings and call for all state agencies concerned to consider and implement the recommendations in the report.’
Joyce Simon, CEO - Anah Project (Bradford):
’By and for specialist VAWG services are integral to identifying the context, complexities and nuances of violence and abuse Black and minoritised women’s lives. Our meaningful participation and involvement in Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) is missing but vital because of the knowledge, understanding, and valuable information we hold from narratives of the women and girls approaching our services. The Black and minoritised women we support are subjected to racism, misogyny, homophobia, islamophobia and many other biases and experiences that lead to multiple service failures. Our support system is supposed to provide a safety net for all, but we cannot afford to ignore the issues that lead to further harm and trauma in women’s lives, and which have contributed to their death.’
Meril Eshun - Parker, Director - London Black Women’s Project (London)
‘Specialist by and for services tailored to Black and minoritised women’s needs are ESSENTIAL for promoting culturally sensitive services, recognising the unique challenges women face due to their cultural backgrounds, language barriers, discrimination, cultural stigma and immigration status. A specialist by and for service also plays a vital role in raising awareness, educating communities, advocating on behalf of women and amplifying women’s voices - enhancing the overall well-being of Black and minoritised women’
