Can GPS Tagging Save Lives? Rethinking Domestic Violence Prevention in the UK

Every statistic tells a story. Behind every number is a woman who should still be alive, a family that should never have been torn apart. In the UK, one in four women will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime, and on average, two women are killed every week by a current or former partner. 

Domestic violence remains one of the most serious public safety and public health challenges in the UK. Despite legal reforms such as the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs), thousands of survivors remain at risk.

Protective orders are often breached. Police responses are inconsistent. Survivors are frequently left exposed, especially after separation, the period when women are at the highest risk of serious harm or death.

Solutions that go beyond paper-based protections and move from reacting after harm occurs to preventing it before it happens are needed. That’s where GPS-enabled offender monitoring comes in.

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