Women's Aid responds to the BBC's documentary ‘The Chemical Killer: Death by Dating'.

Women's Aid responds to the BBC's documentary ' The Chemical Killer: Death by Dating'. Veronica Oakeshott, Head of External Affairs at Women's Aid said: 'The BBC documentary aired last night on Scams and Scandals 'The Chemical Killer: Death by Dating' exposes the shocking reality of chemical control, whereby perpetrators drug and abuse their partners. The programme shares the devastating experience of Kelly, whose life was taken by a 'chemical killer'. Kelly's children paint a vivid picture of a woman full of love and kindness. We applaud them for speaking up to help others recognise the signs of abuse like she was subjected to. It is clear that Kelly was grossly let down by authorities, with her killer already sentenced to four life sentences for his heinous crimes before he was allowed the freedom to abuse again. Probation services showed a distinct lack of understanding of the pervasive nature of domestic abuse and failed to recognise the very real risk that the perpetrator continued to pose to the public. Failings like these are especially important to recognise in light of the imminent Early Release Scheme, which poses a real danger to survivors of violence against women and girls (VAWG). The documentary also shared Krystyna's story, whose life was changed forever from her own experiences with the same perpetrator. The courage shown by speaking out about these awful events is extraordinary and will undoubtedly make a difference for so many survivors. Sadly, this type of abuse seems increasingly common. We've spoken recently about the CNN investigation exposing a global 'online rape academy' and of course have worked closely with Gisèle Pelicot who was subjected to chemical control by her perpetrator. The perpetrators of these crimes must be held to account, with a decisive response from the criminal justice system, and both prison and probation working together to manage the ongoing risk that such perpetrators pose.'