She added: “Any professionals, medical, legal or otherwise, assessing someone who has made a request to die should have specialist training in coercive control and domestic abuse … and there should be guidance for professionals in making sure there is no domestic abuse or coercive control in that victim’s life.”.
Prof Jane Monckton-Smith, a leading expert on domestic homicide, said she had “grave concerns” about the assisted dying bill and that it needed “significant consideration and mention of coercive and controlling behaviour and domestic abuse, and its potential impact on victim decision-making”.
Nogah Ofer, solicitor at the CWJ, said: “The evidence shows that coercive control frequently results in victims losing their own sense of self and self-worth, and is closely linked with both domestic homicide and suicide related to domestic abuse.
Henry-Leach said the bill should include a clearer definition of coercion, mandated domestic abuse training for professionals, and specialist domestic abuse screening as part of the assessment process.
The groups said discussion of the proposals had so far failed to consider domestic abuse or the risk that perpetrators could coerce or pressure victims into assisted dying.
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