First reported 18 Nov 2020•Latest report 1 May 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures of controls specifically dedicated to recognising, assessing or responding to coercive and controlling behaviour in domestic-abuse contexts, including staff capability and training, investigative identification, risk recognition and appropriate protective response.
Not included
Excludes generic training, awareness or capability deficiencies not explicitly tied to coercive and controlling behaviour.
Excludes failures concerning other domestic-abuse or safeguarding risks unless coercive and controlling behaviour is the named or materially supported concern.
Excludes legal-framework, licensing-disclosure or capacity-law deficiencies where the shared unsafe condition is not a failure to recognise or respond operationally to coercive and controlling behaviour.
Excludes generic information sharing, risk assessment or investigation failures that are not specifically connected to coercive and controlling behaviour.
Reports
7
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
9
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2020–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
26
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Home Office3
Department of Health and Social Care2
National Police Chiefs’ Council2
Crown Prosecution Service1
Department for Education1
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership1
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Greater Manchester Police1
Hertfordshire Constabulary1
Independent Office for Police Conduct1
Metropolitan Police Service1
Ministry of Justice1
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board1
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust1
Thames Valley Police1
Ministerial department4
Police force4
National policing body2
English metropolitan district council1
Health-system partnership1
Integrated care board1
NHS trust1
Non-ministerial department1
Police oversight body1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Inner South London
Concerns raised1
Failure to formally review safeguarding, domestic violence or controlling or coercive behaviour risks affecting teenagers approaching 18
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Conduct an urgent review of adult safeguarding powers and duties, including consultation on updated safeguarding guidance and consideration of transition safeguards.
Stated by Department for EducationStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 14 August 2026.
Somerset
Concerns raised1
Lack of understanding of the effects of controlling and coercive behaviour on decision-making capacity
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The MCA need not override unsafe or unwise decisions where capacity exists because safeguarding, civil and criminal routes are available.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
South London
Concerns raised1
Failure of investigations to identify victims of domestic abuse and coercive control
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Action
Create and operate the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences Investigation Unit with specialist investigation teams and victim-support capacity.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 July 2026.
Action
Provide £13.1 million to establish a National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection.
Stated by Home OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 July 2026.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
No specific risk to Rebekah was apparent because no domestic abuse allegations or concerning evidence had been reported to or identified by the IOPC.
Stated by Independent Office for Police ConductDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Berkshire
Concerns raised2
Insufficient frontline staff understanding of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour
Failure of the domestic abuse risk assessment form to clearly include psychological harm from coercive and controlling behaviour within serious harm
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.11
Action
Review and improve frontline training inputs on domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Deliver DA Matters training, including coercive-control content, to all frontline officers.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Develop a new Contact Management training package covering coercive control and using Angela’s death as a case study.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Review and refresh the specialist domestic abuse officer training programme with coercive-control content throughout.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Provide learning materials and classroom training content on coercive and controlling behaviour and its legislation.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Establish and license the DA Matters training course for first responders and domestic-abuse champions, with specialist-provider delivery and trainer development.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Embed domestic-abuse learning, including risk assessment and protective-order responses, within all entry routes into policing.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Add the College of Policing serious-harm definition to the current domestic abuse risk assessment form.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Explore an interim solution for incorporating DARA questions and the serious-harm definition into the current crime-recording system.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Review the policing implementation of the DASH risk-assessment tool.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Action
Develop, pilot and evaluate the DARA risk-assessment tool and aligned training for identifying coercive-control patterns.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2024.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Existing training and guidance sufficiently equip frontline staff to understand domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.
Stated by Thames Valley PoliceExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Delivery of the national domestic-abuse training curriculum was not centrally undertaken; individual police forces were responsible for delivering it.
Stated by National Police Chiefs’ CouncilRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Failure to recognise coercive and controlling relationship behaviours and their impact on victims’ mental health
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Concerns raised1
Lack of understanding of controlling and coercive behaviour and its impact on victims
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.7
Action
Deliver recurring domestic abuse training covering coercive control, stalking, investigations, risk assessment and safeguarding.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Establish a dedicated domestic abuse training role to increase frontline knowledge of coercive control, civil orders and safeguarding processes.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Deliver sudden-death and domestic-abuse training highlighting the link between domestic abuse and suicide, professional curiosity and evidence-led investigation.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Provide new DAISU staff with a regularly updated guidance manual covering domestic abuse, coercive control, civil orders, evidence-led prosecution and safeguarding.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Deliver specialist domestic-abuse training inputs to detectives, supervisors, Police Now officers and PCSOs, including evidence gathering, protective orders, DARA and safeguarding.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Deliver booked frontline training on stalking and coercive and controlling behaviour in August 2024.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Action
Establish and roll out a DA Influencers initiative training officers across ranks and areas to share and champion coercive-control knowledge.
Stated by Hertfordshire ConstabularyStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 9 May 2024.
Manchester South
Concerns raised2
Limited police training and capability to identify coercive and controlling behaviour
Limited health visitor understanding of coercive and controlling behaviour
This report raised 20 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Action
Continue considering how to work with police forces to improve understanding and enforcement of the coercive and controlling behaviour offence.
Stated by Home OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Deliver rolling virtual continuing professional development covering domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, risk assessment, DASH, strangulation and related safeguarding topics.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Review vulnerability training and design, establish and test a new force-wide vulnerability training offer.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Establish a safeguarding course for officers and staff who evaluate risk and provide formal training on identifying risk factors.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Publish domestic-abuse guidance for health professionals, including responsibilities for responding to victims and practical guidance on perpetrators.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Other named respondents are responsible for addressing the coroner’s concerns; this response covers only broader learning-sharing issues within its remit.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
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Includes failures of controls specifically dedicated to recognising, assessing or responding to coercive and controlling behaviour in domestic-abuse contexts, including staff capability and training, investigative identification, risk recognition and appropriate protective response.
