More survivors of domestic abuse died by suicide last year than were killed directly by a partner.

This stark statistic from the Home Office exposes a truth that is still widely overlooked:
domestic abuse kills — even when there are no visible injuries.

Coercive control and psychological abuse work by stripping away a person’s autonomy, identity, and sense of escape. Isolation, constant surveillance, financial control, emotional deprivation, and fear become daily realities. Over time, the damage is cumulative and devastating.

From a neuroscience perspective, prolonged psychological abuse traps the brain in a state of chronic threat. Stress hormones remain elevated, the nervous system loses access to rest and regulation, and the parts of the brain responsible for hope, planning, and self-belief begin to shut down. This is not weakness — it is the predictable biological response to sustained entrapment.

Psychologically, survivors may develop learned helplessness and profound internalised blame. When every choice is questioned or punished, and when all perceived exits are blocked, suicide can begin to feel — tragically — like the only remaining way to regain control.

These deaths are not isolated tragedies.
They are the outcome of abuse that is too often minimised, misunderstood, or dismissed.

Domestic abuse prevention must go beyond counting homicides. It must recognise that coercive control is a life-threatening condition, and that psychological abuse can be just as lethal as physical violence.

If we want to save lives, we must:

• Treat coercive control as the serious harm it is
• Identify survivors at risk before crisis point
• Provide trauma-informed support that restores autonomy and nervous-system safety
• Stop asking survivors why they didn’t leave — and start asking why abuse was allowed to continue

Abuse doesn’t only end lives through violence.
It ends lives through despair.

Recognising this link is not about blame.
It is about prevention, accountability, and survival.

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse or feeling overwhelmed, confidential support is available. Reaching out can be a first step toward safety.