Flawed Domestic Violence Screening Tool Linked to Over 50 Women's Deaths

As of August 2025, bereaved families across the UK are exploring legal action against authorities over a "flawed" domestic violence risk assessment tool that has been linked to the deaths of over 50 women. For the past 16 years, the Dash (domestic abuse, stalking and honor-based violence) checklist has been used by police and social workers to determine which victims receive urgent protection. However, a recent investigation revealed that since 2019, at least 55 women have been killed after being wrongly categorized as only facing "low" or "medium" risk.

This figure relates to just 10 police forces, and experts estimate the true nationwide death toll linked to the Dash tool could exceed 400 since 2009. Relatives of some victims are now working with a law firm to determine if legal action can be taken, with one bereaved mother stating, "If it's been a scandal like the Post Office scandal, it needs to be out in the open."

The Dash assessment, which evaluates risk based on answers to 27 questions, is still used by 24 of Britain's police forces and almost all domestic violence services. However, an independent review earlier this year warned that the tool is "as helpful as flipping a coin." Despite these findings, the government has commissioned the charity behind Dash to review how authorities assess domestic abuse cases, sparking further outrage among victims' families.