The Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) today welcomed the announcement by Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood that the Law Commission will undertake a review of the law of homicide and the sentencing framework for murder. This initiative addresses longstanding concerns about how gendered dynamics and domestic abuse are reflected in the criminal justice system.
Harriet Wistrich, Director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, said:
“We welcome the Lord Chancellor’s recognition of gendered disparities for murders committed in a domestic context. Far too often, the justice system has failed to adequately account for the context of abuse in cases where women kill their abusers, imposing disproportionately long sentences. Meanwhile, prior abusive behaviour of men who kill their female partners is inadequately reflected in the minimum sentences they receive. This review is a crucial step forward.”
CWJ’s 2019 research report, Women Who Kill, revealed systemic gendered disparities in domestic homicide cases. Since then, CWJ has documented nearly 40 case studies of women convicted of murdering abusive partners. These cases underscore the urgent need for legal reform to ensure that the law reflects the lived realities of abuse survivors.
In addition to the forthcoming Law Commission review, CWJ commends the government’s commitment to immediate action by implementing key recommendations from Clare Wade KC’s independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.
Specifically, the creation of statutory aggravating factors for murders involving strangulation and those linked to the end of a relationship signals a significant shift in addressing the unique dynamics of domestic violence homicides.
Harriet Wistrich added:
“Strangulation is a disturbingly common and highly gendered form of violence in intimate relationships. CWJ has been at the forefront of highlighting its role in domestic abuse and assisted in securing the introduction of a standalone offence of non-fatal strangulation. Today’s announcement builds on this progress, acknowledging the gravity of strangulation as a lethal act and reinforcing the need for harsher penalties in such cases.
Furthermore, recognising the extreme vulnerability of victims killed after ending, or threatening to leave a relationship reflects an important acknowledgment of the power dynamics often at play in domestic homicides”.
CWJ calls on the government to ensure that the Law Commission review proceeds with urgency and transparency, with meaningful engagement from survivors, experts, and advocates.