Abuse victims 'at risk of being coerced into suicide' under assisted dying laws

Proposed legislation does not do enough to safeguard against controlling behaviour, charities have warned

- Eve Livingston

There is a "significant risk" that victims of coercive control could be put under pressure to end their own lives using assisted dying legislation, charities have warned.

The Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) and Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse were among expert organisations that made submissions earlier this month to the committee examining the assisted dying bill, warning that the plans in their current form could endanger victims of coercive control.

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.

Kim Leadbeater MP, who introduced the bill, which covers England and Wales, said she welcomed the contributions and was "absolutely committed to ensuring the right protections are in the bill".

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.

"We know some perpetrators drive their victims to suicide.