Voice, Fairness and Trust: Racially Minoritised Women and Domestic Abuse Policing

by Helen Gordon-Smith | Mar 18, 2026 | 0 comments

Event report of a webinar on new research applying a procedural justice lens to racially minoritised women’s experiences of policing DA.

New research presented at an N8 Policing Research Partnership (N8 PRP) webinar has highlighted how racially minoritised women experience domestic abuse policing—and why trust, fairness and being listened to can shape whether victim-survivors stay engaged with investigations.

The online event, held on Monday 16 March, featured Dr Hayley Alderson, Professor Geetanjali Gangoli, Dr Kausiki Saram and Dr Kate Butterby, who shared findings from an N8 PRP-funded study exploring the impact of “Outcome 16” on racially minoritised women’s participation in domestic abuse (DA) cases.

Findings

The research team focused on “Outcome 16”—the police outcome code used when a suspect has been identified but the victim-survivor does not support further action—because it is linked to high levels of discontinuance in DA investigations. With routine police datasets often constrained by small samples and inconsistent recording of ethnicity, the study drew primarily on qualitative evidence from 60 participants: 26 police personnel across three forces, 16 voluntary/community sector specialists and 18 survivors.

Presenters said the findings point to procedural justice as a central issue: whether people feel they have a voice, are treated with respect, see decisions as neutral and transparent, and believe police actions are motivated by a genuine duty of care. In practice, this means the quality of interactions and explanations can be as influential as the final case outcome.

Survivors described a range of barriers before they ever contacted police. These included difficulties recognising non-physical abuse such as coercive control, limited awareness of legal rights, and dependence on trusted professionals—such as GPs and specialist services—to help them disclose. The webinar also heard how immigration insecurity can be weaponised by perpetrators through threats linked to visas, deportation and child custody, alongside concerns about stigma, retaliation and racism that can undermine confidence in reporting.

Once in contact with police, many women reported not feeling heard or believed, particularly where officers treated incidents as isolated events rather than part of an ongoing pattern. Participants highlighted inconsistent access to interpreters and the impact of having to repeat traumatic experiences to multiple professionals. While some accounts described supportive, trauma-informed responses, presenters suggested this was not consistently embedded across practice.

Other reported issues included stereotyping—such as attributing abuse to culture or religion—alongside concerns about risk assessment and experiences of racism or being treated as a suspect during evidence-gathering. Survivors also described confusion about available routes (criminal and civil), inconsistent follow-up and lengthy delays, which contributed to perceptions that responses were unsafe or untrustworthy, especially where coercive control was poorly understood.

Discussion

In discussion, attendees and speakers highlighted practical steps to improve confidence and engagement, including reliable interpreter provision and stronger understanding of honour-based abuse and immigration-related barriers (including “no recourse to public funds”).

Recommendations shared during the session included safe and confidential routes to reporting; clearer information about protections such as non-molestation orders; and more consistent contact through a designated officer to reduce re-traumatisation. Speakers also stressed partnership working between police and specialist domestic abuse services, and training that is interactive, scenario-based and co-delivered with community organisations. The webinar concluded that strengthening procedural justice—listening, transparency, dignity and clearly victim-centred decision-making—will be critical to building trust and reducing disengagement in DA investigations.