Intimate partner violence is hidden contributor to women’s suicide

In Australia, an estimated 15 women die by suicide each week, with intimate partner and family violence potentially contributing to 28-56% of these deaths. A federal parliamentary inquiry is examining the links between domestic violence and suicide, with over 200 written submissions and public hearings revealing deep frustration with systems that obscure violence and re-traumatise victim-survivors. International research shows intimate partner violence increases women's risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts two- to five-fold. Women experiencing coercive control often face constant threats, stalking, and intimidation, leading to exhaustion, isolation, and a deep sense of being trapped. The inquiry has found that services often fail to identify and respond to suicide risk, instead treating women's distress as individual disorders rather than responses to ongoing violence. When the impacts of abuse are misclassified as a mental health crisis, the danger posed by violent partners disappears from view, and opportunities for prevention vanish.