One of the most damaging responses a victim can hear is, “I doubt he’ll kill you.”

Most people who say this are not being malicious. They simply cannot imagine that someone they know, a family member, friend, colleague, or neighbour, could be capable of such an act. They judge the situation through the lens of their own experience rather than the reality being lived by the victim.

The problem is that domestic homicide cases repeatedly demonstrate that victims are often the best judges of the danger they face.

Claire Chick told police the day before her death that she believed her estranged husband would kill her if further action was not taken. Tragically, her fears proved justified.

When a victim says they are frightened, constantly looking over their shoulder, afraid to leave their home, being stalked, tracked, monitored, harassed, or threatened, the appropriate response is not to dismiss those fears because the risk seems unimaginable to others. The appropriate response is to listen.

Family members, friends, and professionals may see only a small part of what is happening. The victim experiences the pattern day after day. They see the escalation, the obsession, the intimidation, and the behaviours that often occur behind closed doors.

Statements such as “I’m sure he wouldn’t do that,” “He would never hurt you,” or “I doubt he’ll kill you” can unintentionally minimise the victim’s experience and leave them feeling isolated and unsupported.

Many people find it easier to believe that a victim is exaggerating than to accept the uncomfortable reality that someone they know may be capable of serious violence. Yet history shows that some of the most serious domestic abuse cases occurred after repeated warnings had been ignored, dismissed, or underestimated.

Listening does not require certainty. It simply requires taking concerns seriously enough to ask questions, offer support, and recognise that the victim may be seeing dangers that others cannot.

When someone says they are afraid for their life, the safest response is not disbelief. It is to listen.

This addition links Claire Chick’s case to the broader issue of how victims’ fears are sometimes dismissed by those around them, even though risk assessments in domestic abuse cases increasingly recognise that a victim’s own perception of danger can be a significant indicator of risk.