Commentary on the (In)Visibility of LGBTQ+ Victims in Domestic Violence Fatality Reviews

This paper is a commentary on the (in)visibility of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ+) victims in Domestic Violence Fatality Reviews (DVFRs). Drawing on a practitioner–researcher perspective and a case study of Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) in England and Wales, this paper’s originality stems from the author’s practitioner–researcher perspective. LGBTQ+ lives can be made (in)visible as a result of how in-scope deaths are identified, whether knowledge and expertise are included, and because of how the lives of LGBTQ+ victims are represented. This commentary explores how DVFRs can make LGBTQ+ lives (in)visible. Critically, however, it identifies how these considerations relate to broader questions, including the responses to LGBTQ+ domestic abuse generally and the functioning of DVFRs specifically, and also has implications for how researchers use the findings of review.