‘There are more suicides than murders. Why isn’t more being done?’

A grieving mother has said she faces a “life sentence” after her daughter killed herself to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend – and warned about it perpetrators are not held accountable.

Sharon Holland said abusers are getting away with driving their victims to suicide as figures show the numbers have risen year on year and are overtaking the numbers. victims killed for the first time by their tormentors.

In England and Wales, 93 people are believed to have lost their lives after being abused between April 2022 and March 2023, while 80 people were murdered by a current or former partner, the national newspaper said. Domestic murder project.

Chloe Holland, 23, died after a year of torture by Marc Masterton, during which he isolated her, tracked her phone, told her to kill herself and repeatedly assaulted her.

The case was described as one of the most “horrendous and heartbreaking” the police investigator had ever seen.

Brick by brick

Donate here The independent’s Brick by Brick campaign, in partnership with leading domestic violence charity Refuge, to raise money to build two homes for women and children escaping abusive partners.

The initial target of £300,000 was exceeded thanks to generous donations from readers. More than £500,000 in donations have flowed in so far and plans are already underway for a second home.

Be a brick, buy a brick and donate here or text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15

Chloe’s mother warned that the number of suicides linked to domestic violence is just the “tip of the iceberg”, as she demanded: “If there are now more suicides than murders, why isn’t more being done?”

Refuge estimates that as many as three women die by suicide every week in England and Wales due to domestic abuse.

Perpetrators are rarely charged in the suspected suicides, and without a victim to testify against them, they often escape other murders. domestic violence also costs.

Despite a total of 216 suicides linked to domestic violence since 2020, The independent can only find evidence of one successful prosecution, in 2017, for manslaughter in such circumstances.

Nicholas Allen was jailed for 10 years after his ex-girlfriend Justene Reece killed herself as a “direct result” of his controlling behavior, which included abusive voicemails, text messages and Facebook messages, as well as stalking.

In Chloe’s case, Masterton was sentenced to 41 months in prison last year for coercive and controlling behavior, but the CPS found there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the manslaughter charge. His former partner Zoe Castle came forward after learning of Chloe’s death and was jailed for a further 43 months earlier this year.

But Ms Holland has called for tougher legislation and the introduction of a new offense of manslaughter by coercive control to ensure abusers are held accountable.

“A few years is not enough for what he did to my family,” she said. “No matter how many years you get, it will never make up for what happened – but at least it would be a little more justice.”

During Masterton’s 12-month relationship with Chloe, he routinely controlled her appearance, assaulted her, kept her away from friends and family, belittled her and told her to kill herself, police said.

On one occasion, at Masterton’s address in Southsea, Portsmouth, Chloe threatened to kill herself after he attacked her with a barbell. In response, Masterton handed her a knife and ordered her to hurt herself.

He also allegedly deliberately gave her black eyes so she could not see her son, police added.

In February 2023, Chloe made an attempt on her own life. She survived in the hospital for more than a month before passing away in March.

“I had to make the decision to let her go; it was horrible,” said Ms. Holland, 51. “I didn’t know the extent of it until she did what she did.”

After her daughter’s death, Mrs Holland discovered abusive messages sent by Masterton hidden in bank transfers after Chloe tried to cut off contact with him. He would transfer 10 cents with cruel messages written in the bank reference.

Before she died, Chloe reported domestic abuse to Masterton and gave a two-hour video submission to police, leading to the 26-year-old’s conviction for coercive and controlling behaviour.

Police investigator Nikki Brogan of Hampshire Constabulary described him as “purely evil”, adding that his crime was “one of the most horrific and heartbreaking cases of domestic violence I have ever come across”.

Ms. Holland said she is in contact with at least 30 families who have suffered similar losses, but only a fraction have seen their loved one’s abuser face criminal charges.

She added: “For us it is now a life sentence. Our lives will never be the same again. You can’t lose a child and just get on with it and move on.

“And with those who have not had justice, they are just fighting and fighting; you can’t even grieve until it’s all over.

Ms Holland is awaiting the results of a domestic homicide investigation and an investigation into her daughter’s death, which she hopes will lead to a conclusion that Chloe was unlawfully killed.

It comes after a coroner last year overturned a conclusion of suicide in a landmark case and ruled that Kellie Sutton had been unlawfully killed. Sutton took her own life after being abused by her partner Steven Gane.

Frank Mullane, CEO of Charities Advocacy after fatal domestic violencesaid “inadequate, superficial or non-existent investigations” following a victim’s suicide mean perpetrators are often not held accountable.

“This leaves many bereaved families not only heartbroken but also frustrated as justice evades them,” he added, noting that for many, a DHR and inquest are the only investigations into their death. beloved.

Refuge interim CEO Abigail Ampofo said domestic violence suicide figures are likely just the tip of the iceberg due to under-reporting. “The trauma that can occur as a result of domestic violence should not be underestimated,” she said.

A study by Refuge, in partnership with the University of Warwick, found that 83 percent of people using Refuge services reported feelings of despair or hopelessness – a key determinant of suicidality.

At least 24 percent said they had felt suicidal at some point, while 18 percent said they had made plans to end their lives.

Ms Ampofo added: “Despite the distressing impact that domestic violence can have on the mental wellbeing of those who experience it, deaths by suicide are not formally recognized as deaths related to domestic violence.

“Refuge is calling for greater recognition of how domestic violence can lead directly to suicide, and we will continue to campaign for a world where no more lives are taken by the crime that is domestic violence.”

A government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost loved ones as a result of domestic violence.

“Abusers who induce their partners to commit suicide as a result of their vile behavior are prosecuted for existing manslaughter and encouraging suicide crimes.

“Our commitment to halve violence against women and girls within ten years, placing domestic violence specialists in 999 call centers and introducing tailored protection orders will also help us protect victims.”

Please donate now to the Brick by Brick campaign, launched by The Independentand charity Refuge, to help raise £300,000 to build a safe place for women to escape domestic violence, rebuild their lives and build a new future.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans in confidence on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or Samaritans website for more information about your nearest branch. If you live in the US and you or someone you know needs mental health care right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis line that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go there www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you