Overview

• Jess Phillips said the main screening tool should be replaced and confirmed a review of victim‑support systems, cautioning that change will not happen overnight.
• The Dash questionnaire is a 27‑item checklist used since 2009 by police, social services and healthcare workers to grade risk and guide referrals to specialist support.
• An LSE study in 2020 found nearly nine in 10 repeat victims had previously been graded standard or medium, and a 2022 Manchester–Seville analysis reported 96% of retrospectively high‑risk victims were initially scored below high.
• Families of women killed after being graded below high risk are exploring legal action, and a Cambridge criminologist said Dash performs poorly as a predictive tool.
• The government announced measures on honour‑based abuse that include statutory guidance, a legal definition, a Home Office pilot, a community awareness campaign and additional professional training, with ONS data showing 108 domestic homicides in the year to March 2024.