Overview

• Jess Phillips said the current questionnaire has 'obvious problems' and stressed that the systems triggered by assessments matter more than the score itself.
• DASH, a 27‑question checklist used since 2009 by police, social services and health workers, typically determines access to multi‑agency support only for those graded high risk.
• Research cited by outlets found poor predictive performance, including an LSE analysis showing nearly nine in ten repeat‑violence cases were previously marked standard or medium risk and a 2022 study reporting 96% of retrospectively high‑risk victims were not flagged as high risk.
• The Home Office has asked SafeLives, which co‑developed DASH, to review current risk identification and management as debate continues over tool design versus inconsistent practitioner use and training.
• Separately, the government announced steps to tackle honour‑based abuse, including new statutory guidance, a legal definition, a pilot study, a community awareness campaign and extra training, with the stakes underscored by 108 domestic homicides in England and Wales in the year to March 2024.