Domestic homicides across London have soared by 60 per cent, as a new interactive map reveals more than 270 abuse crimes happening every day in the capital.
Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan says official figures show the city’s homicide rate is at a 22-year low and the number of teenage killings is the fewest since 2012.
However, analysis of London’s 80 victims since January 1, reveals 24 were killed as a result of domestic-related violence, compared to about 15 by November 11 last year.
Campaigners described the Standard’s findings as “staggering” and called for systemic changes to stop women falling through “cracks” in the system.
Among the tragic death toll is 40-year-old Agne Druskienea, who was found stabbed to death at her home in Havering early on October 18.
Charity boss and mother-of-two Annabel Rook, 46, was discovered with multiple stab wounds following a gas explosion at her family’s house in Stoke Newington on June 17.
Police found Sarah Reynolds, 58, dead at an address on Towpath Way in Selhurst, Croydon in April. The same month, Hien Thi Vu, 45, died at the home she shared with her husband in New Cross Gate, Lewisham.
Marianne Kilonzi, 43, the vice president at financial giant Citibank, was found beaten to death in her flat in Woolwich on January 17.
Each woman was in a relationship with a man now facing a murder charge or, in Ms Kilonzi’s case, is being sought by the Metropolitan Police.
Some 99,805 domestic abuse offences were logged in the 12 months to October, according to the Met’s monthly crime database.
Crimes increased 14 per cent from 7,142 in October 2024 to 8,192 last month – around 273 per day.
When accounting for population per 1,000 residents, Barking and Dagenham (2,879) had the highest number, followed by Tower Hamlets (3,605), Greenwich (3,117), Lewisham (3,266), Hounslow (2,911), Croydon (4,018), Newham (3,516), Haringey (2,602), Islington (2,168) and Hillingdon (2,739).
Richmond-upon-Thames (931) had the fewest by population, followed by Kingston upon Thames (973), Barnet (2,417), Harrow (1,672), Merton (1,420), Bromley (2,320), Wandsworth (2,214), Camden (1,760), and Westminster (1,897).
Black and ethnic minority women are over-represented among 2025’s domestic homicide victims.
Jebina Yasmin Islam, the sister of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, who was murdered by a stranger in Kidbrooke on September 17, 2021, said: “Enough is enough.
“It’s time for change. It’s time to end violence against women and girls.”
Ms Islam previously told politicians to “step up” efforts to keep women safe.
Scotland Yard says it is dedicated to improving its response to violence against women and girls who “deserve to feel safe going about their daily lives”.
The Met’s V100 project deploys counter-terrorism tactics to target predatory offenders making life hell for them, leading to over 100 convictions.
Around 565 specially-trained officers and staff are teams tackling VAWG, which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 stalking protection orders.
A further 173 police have been drafted in to investigating domestic abuse in areas with the highest volume.
In July, Sir Sadiq and Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley unveiled Project Archway, new police technology which makes it easier to photograph bruising in darker skin after responding to the concerns of victims of colour.
The devices help detectives to better assess injuries, secure evidence of an assault, charge more offenders and boost day-by-day confidence in the force.
City Hall is also trialling the emergency use of Airbnb homes in London under a £100,000 initiative.
Up to 60 women and their children will be moved into the properties for up to a fortnight to ease the dire shortage of space in safe refuges for those escaping abusive partners.
Nahar Choudhury, chief executive of the charity Solace Women’s Aid, said: “Women from minoritised communities face a number of challenges that can not only amplify the impact of domestic abuse, but also create additional barriers to getting help.
“Survivors we work with from these communities report feeling dismissed or judged by some services.
“Women may also face language barriers or are hesitant to approach authorities due to their immigration status.
“The No Recourse to Public Funds policy is a critical barrier that stops women living in safety and with limited options.
“Violence against women and girls must be prioritised over immigration status.
“There needs to be increased, sustainable funding for services to ensure these intersectional challenges are adequately addressed and all women are supported.”
Dr Hannana Siddiqui OBE, director of policy, campaigns and research at Southall Black Sisters, added: “These figures are a staggering implication of a system that is pushing Black, minoritised and migrant women through its cracks.
“Black, minoritised and migrant women’s access to safety is obstructed by the No Recourse to Public Funds condition, weaponisation of the hostile immigration system by perpetrators, institutional racism in policing and statutory services and poor cultural competence.
“There is an urgent need for wholesale systemic reform, accountability, investment in specialist services and support, and better data collection to ensure long-term safety for all victim-survivors.
“Our amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill have cross-party support and aim to address two particularly devastating and often overlooked forms of gender-based violence: ‘Honour’-based abuse and self-harm and suicides driven by domestic and ‘honour’-based abuse.
“Southall Black Sisters and Killed Women also launched their joint report on femicides of Black, Minoritised and Migrant women which centres bereaved families’ testimonies and sheds light on systemic changes needed to safeguard victim-survivors.”
Annie Gibbs, founder and chief executive of Amour Destiné - which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of women, said “urgent support” was need to prevent abuse victims “falling through the gaps”.
She added: “As a survivor and resident of Greenwich, I didn’t have a place where I felt truly listened to or saw my experiences reflected - nor those of my late mother, who was a migrant survivor of harm.
“I understand deeply the importance of working better together to address these issues.
“It is essential that schools, health services, social care, faith spaces, and police all understand these issues and know how to work effectively with community-based and specialist organisations.”
Double murderer Shaine March, 47, who stabbed and slashed his pregnant girlfriend 23 times after being released from prison on licence was jailed for at least 42 years last month.
Alana Odysseos, 32, had been killed at her home in Walthamstow early on July 22, 2024.
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said: “Keeping women and girls safe in London is a top priority for the Mayor, and he is clear that one life lost to domestic abuse is one too many.
“That is why Sadiq has overseen a record £233 million investment in work to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls - which we know have a disproportionate impact on minoritised and marginalised communities.
“The Mayor’s work includes providing vital specialist support services and safe spaces for victims and survivors - including those from minority backgrounds and with complex needs.
“Sadiq also continues to work with the Met police, charities and partners across London and internationally to tackle VAWG in all its forms.
“This includes overseeing more than £54million of dedicated investment to tackle domestic abuse, delivering innovative and effective GPS tagging of domestic abuse offenders, supporting the Met’s V100 approach to tackling abuse, ensuring perpetrators who pose the greatest risk are arrested and convicted.
“Sadiq is also saving lives through his Mayor’s Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation programme, which has already helped over 40,000 survivors of domestic abuse.”
The Met said a specialist programme in all 32 boroughs works with the most high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators in order to disrupt their offending.
Vulnerable victims are protected by multi-agency risk assessment conferences chaired by police and other agencies.
A force spokesman said: “Domestic crimes are one of the most complex and sensitive areas the Met investigates.
“That’s why we have increased the number of specially trained officers dedicated to investigating domestic abuse, provided training to 23,000 officers on how to spot the signs of domestic abuse, and rolled out a pan-London domestic abuse perpetrator programme to disrupt their offending behaviours before it is too late.
“We understand the barriers which prevent or deter victims of domestic abuse from coming forward to seek help.
“We continue to work closely with our partners, other agencies, charities and community groups to create an environment where victim-survivors feel able to report these awful crimes and get the support they need.”
