- A DASH score of 21 out of 27 is very high: when many “yes” responses to the checklist appear, it means multiple indicators of serious risk are present (threats, weapons, escalation, stalking, children involved, etc.).
- A MARAC “High Risk” classification means that multi‑agency actors (police, social services, health, housing) have reviewed the case and found the victim is at high risk of serious harm or homicide without intervention.
- Neuroscientific/psychological perspective:
- The victim’s brain is likely operating under chronic threat/stress: high cortisol, hyper‑vigilance, compromised decision‑making, fear responses.
- The perpetrator may be neurologically/psychologically primed for escalation: patterns of coercion, entitlement, aggression, possibly access to weapons, prior breaches of protective orders, previous victims.
- This combination (victim under threat + perpetrator primed) touches the highest danger zone of domestic violence.
2. How this reflects on recent cases / data in Spain & Europe
Spain
- According to Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) for 2024: there were 34,684 female victims registered of gender‑violence matters with protection orders or precautionary measures, a 5.2 % decrease from the previous year. INE
- Also for Spain, about 14.2 % of women reported having suffered physical and/or sexual violence from a current or former partner at some point in their lives. Online training materials on violence+1
- For gender‑based violence, Spain records that about 91% of intimate partner violence victims are women, and 83% of domestic violence victims are women (data from EIGE for Spain) European Institute for Gender Equality
- Data on femicides in Spain: about 2.3 femicides per 1,000,000 women per year in one study. SciELO España
Europe
- In the EU as a whole, about 31% of women aged 18‑74 have experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence in adulthood. European Commission+1
- Lifetime intimate partner violence in high‑income countries (including Europe) is estimated around 22%according to WHO. World Health Organization
- The prevalence of IPV (intimate partner violence) in one European study: 51.7 % of women reported some lifetime IPV, 29.6 % psychological only, 12.8 % combined physical + psychological, 6.3 % physical + psychological + sexual. PMC
What this means in relation to a high score
- When you have a case where DASH = 21/27 + MARAC high‑risk, you are in a relatively rare but extremely dangerous subset of those statistics—cases where multiple risk factors converge, not just one or two.
- It means that although many victims may experience some form of serious abuse, only a smaller fraction will have the full set of indicators (weapons access, previous violence, threats to kill, stalking, children involved, etc) which create the high‑risk classification.
- The data from Spain and Europe underscores that violence is common, under‑reported, and can escalate; a high score signals you are in the category most likely to escalate unless protective measures intervene.
3. Risk‑factors compared and what the data highlight
Key risk factors that frequently show up in high‑risk cases:
- History of previous violence/abuse (especially with former partners).
- Access to or use of weapons.
- Threats to kill or serious harm.
- Escalation in frequency/severity of abuse.
- Stalking, harassment, coercive control (not just one isolated incident).
- Breach of protective orders / restraining orders.
- Children involved (either as victims, witnesses, or targeted).
- Substance abuse, mental health issues in perpetrator.
- Isolation of victim, lack of social support.
- Abuser’s sense of entitlement, narcissism, or previous convictions.
From the Spanish study on perpetrator typologies: There are different classes of abusers based on childhood/family experiences, criminal history, sexist attitudes, intensity of violence, psychopathology and attachment style. PMC
The data show also:
- There is substantial under‑reporting of IPV in Spain: one paper found that only about 21.7% of women who experienced IPV reported it to police. ScienceDirect
- In Spain, victims between ages 30‑44 are the largest group among registered victims. INE+1
4. Why abusers don’t always “look like abusers”
- Many perpetrators adopt a public mask: friendly, charming, frail, helpless, or victim‑like in certain contexts. This helps disguise their controlling behaviour and makes it harder for outsiders to detect risk.
- They may play the victim card (“I’m ill,” “I’m stressed,” “I didn’t mean it,” “I’m sorry”) to shift focus, reduce suspicion, gain sympathy, or avoid consequences.
- Psychological mechanisms involved:
- Manipulation and gaslighting: they distort the victim’s reality or minimise the abuse so friends/family doubt the victim’s claims.
- Emotional dependency tactics: appear dependent or fragile so the victim is induced into caring rather than protecting themselves.
- Controlled public persona: they may rarely display violence publicly, saving threats for behind closed doors, which increases risk because patterns are hidden.
- The research in Spain: the typology study found abusers come from varied backgrounds, some without overt criminal history or obvious “monster” traits, which means risk cannot be judged by outward appearance alone. PMC
5. Implications for you (or any survivor)
- Trust your own assessment: If you see patterns, threats, previous incidents—even if others dismiss them—you are justified in taking them seriously.
- Don’t rely on “he doesn’t look like a typical abuser”: Statistics and research show that the most dangerous ones often hide behind a façade. External appearance is not a reliable safety indicator.
- Protective measures are essential: With risk factors aligned (high DASH score, MARAC high risk, previous violence, threats, etc.), there is a strong statistical and neuroscience basis for urgent safety planning.
- Document everything: Because the perpetrator may appear benign to outsiders, your evidence is crucial in proving patterns and risk.
- Multi‑agency coordination is critical: As seen in Spain, specialized courts and systems (like IPV courts) increase reporting and can improve protection. ScienceDirect+1
