Domestic Homicide Reviews and your duties in relation to them

A Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) is a review into the circumstances around a death following domestic abuse. The purpose is to establish what can be learned from the death regarding the way in which local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard victims.

Frank Mullane MBE set up Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) following the murders of his sister Julia and nephew William in 2003. Frank helped ensure Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) became law, and helped develop the Home Office DHR Guidance. He is a Home Office appointed reader of DHRs and a member of the national Victims’ Panel chaired by the Justice Minister. He was on the assessment panel for the recruitment of the first ever (Designate) Domestic Abuse Commissioner and is a published author on the subject of domestic homicide.

During this session, Frank considered:

• The background to DHRs
• The role of DHRs in learning
• Home Office Quality Assurance
• The Interface with Inquests