Every year, thousands of people in abusive relationships reach out for help—but many do so too late. What if there were a simple set of questions that could predict when someone is at risk of being killed by their partner? That’s exactly what the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) was designed to do. When law enforcement officers ask these 11 research-backed questions at the scene of a domestic violence call, lives can be saved before it’s too late.
How It Might Happen:
Imagine this: A woman calls 999 after her partner throws a chair across the room during an argument. The officer arrives, takes her aside, and gently asks 11 questions. She hesitates, then answers yes to three of them—including one about whether she thinks he might try to kill her. The officer immediately picks up the phone and calls a domestic violence hotline. Within minutes, she’s talking to an advocate who can help her plan a safe exit.
How it works
When someone calls police after a domestic violence incident, an officer who responds asks the victim 11 questions:
- Has your partner ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon?
- Has he or she ever threatened to kill you or your children?
- Do you think he or she might try to kill you?
- Does your partner have a gun or can he or she get one easily?
- Has he or she ever tried to choke you?
- Is your partner violently or constantly jealous or does he or she control most of your daily activities?
- Have you left your partner or separated from them after living together or being married?
- Is he or she unemployed?
- Has your partner ever tried to kill him/herself?
- Do you have a child that he or she knows is not theirs?
- Does your partner follow or spy on you or leave threatening messages?
The questions are divided into two sections. If a victim answers yes to any of the first three questions, the police officer calls a local, 24-hour domestic violence hotline immediately.
The same type of referral happens if a victim answers yes to four of the remaining eight questions.
If a victim’s answers don’t trigger a referral, but an officer feels uneasy about the situation, the officer can still call a domestic violence agency.
The protocol is designed to connect victims in dangerous situations with an advocate, said Sara Krall, homicide prevention program director with End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin.
Another benefit of the program is consistency. How police respond to domestic violence calls can vary from county to county or even officer to officer. Some send incident reports to domestic violence agencies the next day. Others have officers give victims a brochure or business card for a domestic violence organization.
“The goal of this program is to really get victims connected before they have a chance to kind of second-guess their decision to involve law enforcement,” Krall said.
How it was created
The questions on the survey were developed using research conducted by Dr. Jaquelyn Campbell, a professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.
Campbell and colleagues found that women were 20 times more likely to be killed by their partner if their partner had threatened to use a weapon on them or had hurt them with a weapon; nearly 15 times more likely to be killed if their partner had threatened to kill them; and nearly 10 times more likely to be killed if their partner had ever tried to choke them.
Based on her findings, Campbell developed the Danger Assessment, an in-depth questionnaire that determines how lethal a domestic violence situation is.
The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence developed the LAP based on the Danger Assessment. The tool lets women know when the relationship they’re in has reached a dangerous point, said Darald Hanusa, a psychotherapist at the Midwest Domestic Violence Resource Centre in Madison and a senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work.
Campbell’s research found that women could predict whether their partners would continue to be abusive, but they could not predict whether they were at risk of being killed. In fact, approximately half of victims who were killed by their partners or whose partners attempted to kill them did not accurately predict the threat of lethal violence.
“So for instance, what Jackie Campbell says, is for a woman who's in an abusive relationship … with a man who is hyper controlling and there is a weapon in the house, she's at a 40-fold increased risk of being murdered. Well, that's important information for her to know, and where is she going to get it? Unless she talks with an advocate, unless she talks with law enforcement, there's no way that she's going to get it,” Hanusa said.
Another statistic that informed the LAP: In the year before a victim was killed, abusers were arrested in 44 percent of cases and almost one-third of victims contacted police. However, only 4 percent of victims had used a domestic violence hotline or shelter in the year before they died.
The LAP is meant to bridge that gap and get more victims connected with domestic abuse services in their communities, Krall said.
Does it help?
A 2014 study done by a group of researchers, including Campbell, examined the LAP’s effectiveness in Oklahoma over a six-year period.
They found that women who were given the LAP used more protective strategies immediately and in the months that followed than women who were not given the survey. Protective strategies included looking for services at a domestic violence agency and removing or hiding their partners’ weapons, as well as applying for and receiving protection orders and going to a place where their partners could not find them.
Furthermore, women who received the LAP intervention “experienced significantly less frequency and severity of violence than women in the comparison group” during follow-up interviews.
What You Can Do
Whether you're a police officer, a social worker, or just someone who wants to help, knowing about the LAP matters. Domestic violence doesn’t always look the way we expect. It can be quiet, subtle, and deadly.
- Share this post so others know what the LAP is.
- Support your local domestic violence agency.
- If you or someone you know is in danger, contact a domestic violence hotline.
Knowledge can save lives. These 11 questions prove it.
Need Support? You're Not Alone
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse in Reading, Berkshire, or anywhere in the UK, help is available.
Local Support Services in Reading
Berkshire Women's Aid (BWA)
Support for individuals experiencing domestic abuse, including refuge accommodation, outreach services, and advocacy.
Helpline: 0808 801 0882 (Freephone)
Email: helpdesk@bwaid.org.uk
Website: www.berkshirewomensaid.org.uk
Helpline Hours (from 1 August 2024):
- Monday: 9am – 7pm
- Tuesday: 9am – 5pm
- Wednesday: 9am – 5pm
- Thursday: 9am – 7pm
- Friday: 9am – 5pm
- Saturday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Sunday & Bank Holidays: Closed
Alana House – Women’s Community Project
A trauma-informed support service helping women make positive life changes.
Website: www.pactcharity.org/projects/alana-house
National Helplines
National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge)
24-hour support for women affected by domestic abuse.
Call: 0808 2000 247
Website: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Women’s Aid Live Chat
Confidential instant messaging support for women.
Website: www.womensaid.org.uk
ManKind Initiative
Support for male victims of domestic abuse.
Call: 01823 334244
Website: www.mankind.org.uk
Respect Phoneline
For individuals concerned about their own abusive behaviour.
Call: 0800 802 4040
Website: www.respectphoneline.org.uk
Galop – LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline
Support for members of the LGBT+ community experiencing domestic abuse.
Call: 0300 999 5428
Website: www.galop.org.uk
Childline
Free and confidential support for children and young people.
Call: 0800 1111
Website: www.childline.org.uk
In an Emergency
- Call 999 – if you are in immediate danger
- Silent Solution: If you can’t speak, call 999 and press 55 when prompted to alert police silently
- Non-Emergency Police Number: 101
You are not alone. Support is available, and help is only a call or message away.
Cassim