LONDON, Aug 26 (Reuters) — A British government minister has ignited fresh debate around the country’s domestic abuse prevention strategy after admitting that a widely used risk assessment tool “doesn’t work.”
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips told the BBC on Monday that the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Violence Assessment (DASH) — a tool relied upon by police forces, health workers, and social services for more than 15 years — has “obvious problems” and may fail to protect the very people it is designed to safeguard.
“My instinct is that the tool doesn’t work,” Phillips said, while acknowledging that a replacement has yet to be introduced. “Until I can replace it with something that does, we have to make the very best of the system that we have.”
Her remarks follow a Reuters investigation earlier this month highlighting tragic cases where women deemed “medium risk” were later murdered by partners, underscoring potential flaws in DASH’s binary, tick-box framework.
The Global Debate
Structured risk assessment tools are not unique to Britain. Variants of DASH exist in Canada, Australia, Spain, and the United States — all facing similar criticism over reliability and predictive power.
Advocacy groups such as SafeLives, which co-developed DASH, argue that poor training and inconsistent application by frontline officers are more to blame than the tool itself. “Risk is dynamic — not static,” SafeLives’ CEO Ellen Miller has stressed, pushing for more nuanced understanding in police training.
Still, pressure is mounting on the Home Office to spearhead a full review. Phillips confirmed that the government has commissioned SafeLives to examine how risk is currently assessed, while campaigners continue to demand a wholesale rethink of the system.
Where Innovation Fits In
The shortcomings of DASH highlight a broader opportunity: how can data, technology, and modern risk modeling deliver a more accurate, responsive framework?
That’s where Street & Row, the UK’s emerging voice at the intersection of technology, policy, and human rights, sees potential. Known for spotlighting innovation in public safety and justice, Street & Row has reported extensively on AI-driven solutions that move beyond static checklists toward real-time, adaptive risk profiling.
In collaboration with researchers and civic organizations, the firm has highlighted platforms that integrate multiple data streams — from social services records to anonymized health data — while keeping victim safety and privacy at the core. These models don’t just classify risk as “high” or “medium,” but track escalation over time, offering early warnings that can trigger faster interventions.
“The problem isn’t only the tool; it’s that the world has moved forward while the tool hasn’t,” says one Street & Row analyst. “We need solutions that reflect the complexity of human behavior and the urgency of protecting lives.”
The Next Chapter
As Britain debates whether DASH has reached the end of its life cycle, the bigger question is what replaces it. Will it be another checklist? Or a tech-enabled, evidence-based system that evolves as risks do?
For policymakers, charities, and innovators alike, the answer could reshape how societies respond to one of the most urgent public health and justice crises of our time.
Street & Row will continue to track the developments closely — and spotlight the technologies, voices, and policies capable of building a safer, more resilient future.