Angela Mittal
13 Aug 2024 · Coroner Heidi Connor · Berkshire
The coroner's concerns
1. lack of clear understanding of domestic abuse and coercive controlling behaviour among frontline staff
“Whether sufficient steps have been taken to ensure that frontline staff have a clear understanding of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour - to think not just about physical abuse, but also about controlling behaviour and how that may escalate”
2. ambiguous definition of serious harm in DASH risk assessment form
“I am concerned that Thames Valley Police's DASH risk assessment form (called a DOM5) does not make it sufficiently clear that the definition of "serious harm" can include psychological harm from coercive and controlling behaviour”