Domestic abuse - help and advice
Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs)
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Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs) were formerly known as Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs). The name changed to DARDRs to better recognise deaths linked to domestic abuse, including suspected suicides related to domestic abuse.
DARDRs were established on a statutory basis under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and came into force on 13 April 2011.
A DARDR is a locally conducted, multi-agency review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse, or neglect by:
- a person to whom they were related, or with whom they were, or had been, in an intimate personal relationship
- a member of the same household
This includes cases where a victim has taken their own life and the circumstances give rise to concern. For example, where coercive or controlling behaviour is identified in the relationship.
Responsibility for reviews
Overall responsibility for establishing a review rests with the local Community Safety Partnership (CSP). CSPs are well placed to initiate a DARDR and oversee the review panel due to their multi-agency structure and presence across England and Wales.
CSPs are made up of representatives from the responsible authorities, including:
- Police
- Local authorities
- Fire and rescue authorities
- Probation services
- Health services
These organisations work together to protect local communities from crime and help people feel safer.
Purpose of a DARDR
The purpose of a DARDR is not to reinvestigate the death or to apportion blame. Instead, it aims to:
- establish what lessons can be learned from the domestic abuse related death, particularly about how local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard victims
- clearly identify those lessons, how they will be acted on, the timescales involved, and what changes are expected as a result
- apply learning to service responses, including changes to policies and procedures where appropriate
- help prevent domestic abuse related deaths and improve services for all domestic abuse victims and their children through better working within and between agencies
How reviews are carried out
A DARDR will usually draw on information obtained from:
- interviews with family members
- interviews with significant people who may have known the victim
- information from participating agencies, either through an Individual Management Review or other methods such as a chronology of events
Further statutory guidance on DARDRs is available on the GOV.UK website.
Published reviews
The following Domestic Homicide Reviews and Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews were undertaken in the borough of Swindon:
- Swindon DHR 5 – Overview report, November 2017 (PDF)
- Swindon DHR 5 – Executive summary, November 2017 (PDF)
- Swindon DHR 6 – Executive summary, December 2024 (PDF)
- Swindon DHR 6 – Overview report, December 2024 (PDF)
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