An Analysis of Gendered, Intersectional Dynamics in Domestic Homicide Reviews

This paper aims to identify, for the first time, how gendered intersectional dynamics are framed in Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) and incorporated, or otherwise, into their recommendations. Conducting a mixed methods document analysis of 46 DHRs, we find that the gendered and raced nature of domestic abuse/homicide frequently remains unstated and explore these silences in relation to incident-focussed risk assessment practices and ‘counter allegations’ of abuse. At the point of domestic homicide, intersectional gendered relations cannot be denied, minimised, or ignored. However, we argue that the race and gender-neutral framing found in DHR policy documents and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 too frequently extends to DHRs themselves, obfuscating the learning potential intended to lay at the heart of the process.