When Abuse Doesn’t Leave Bruises: Remembering Katie Madden and the Questions Her Story Raises
In memory of Katie Madden - a life remembered beyond the circumstances of her death. This piece is written with care, acknowledging her story and the impact of her loss.
Tw: This article discusses domestic abuse, coercive control, suicide, and emotional harm. Please read with care and refer to the list of organisations linked at the bottom of the article for further support if needed.
A Life Behind the Headlines
Katie Madden was described by her mother as “very generous” and deeply devoted to her children. She lived in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and was loved by those around her - a daughter, a mother, and someone whose life carried meaning far beyond the circumstances that would later bring her name into public conversation.
Remembering Katie as a person, not simply as a case, is essential when reflecting on what her story reveals.
Her death has become part of a wider discussion about how the justice system understands abuse, particularly when harm is psychological and cumulative rather than visibly violent.
What Happened
Katie died in 2023 following a period of sustained distress linked to an abusive relationship. Reporting indicates that in the months leading up to her death, her family had repeatedly raised concerns about her safety, including fears that she might die.
Hours before her death, she spoke on the phone with her former partner, who was on bail for assault and subject to conditions prohibiting contact with her. Evidence heard later included that he had previously told her to “go kill herself”, and witnesses described interactions as emotionally abusive.
A coroner concluded that her relationship and experiences of domestic abuse contributed to her death.
Despite this recognition, the assault investigation was closed shortly afterwards, and no criminal charged followed - a decision that has prompted significant debate.
Listening to her Family
Katie’s family have spoken publicly about their grief and their belief that warning signs were not adequately addressed. Her mother contacted authorities, expressing fear for her daughter’s safety, reflecting the profound anxiety experienced by families navigating situations of coercive control.
Their advocacy has helped bring attention to the complexities surrounding deaths where abuse plays a role but is not easily categorised within existing frameworks.
Behind policy discussions and legal processes is a family continuing to live with loss.
The Scale of Domestic Abuse in the UK
Katie’s story exists within a wider landscape of domestic abuse across the UK.
Office for National Statistics data shows:
• Around 2.3 million adults experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023.
• One in four women will experience domestic abuse during their lifetime.
• On average, two women are killed each week by a current or former partner.
While these figures often focus on physical violence, experts emphasise that psychological abuse is widespread and frequently underreported.
Recent reporting has warned that deaths linked to domestic abuse may represent a hidden crisis. Experts have described the under-recognition of abuse-related suicides as a “national scandal”, noting that women in abusive relationships may now be more likely to take their own lives than be killed by a partner.
Official figures record dozens of suspected cases each year, yet research suggests that the true number could be far higher, with some estimates indicating that up to 1,500 women annually may die by suicide following domestic abuse.
Katie’s story illustrates how these statistics are not abstract but reflect real experiences where psychological harm can have devastating consequences.
The Challenge of Proving Psychological Harm
Coercive control was criminalised in 2015 in recognition that abuse often operates through patterns of domination rather than isolated acts. However, translating this legal recognition into investigative practice remains complex.
Cases involving psychological harm require careful examination of behaviour over time, digital evidence, and contextual factors. Establishing causation, particularly where death is recorded as suicide, can be legally demanding.
Critics argue that without specialised training and resources, such cases risk being treated as individual tragedies rather than relational harms.
Suicide and Domestic Abuse: A Policy Debate
Cases like Katie Madden’s have been referenced in discussions about whether investigative frameworks adequately consider deaths linked to coercive control, particularly where abuse does not culminate in physical violence.
Campaigners and academics have called for:
• Improved investigative guidelines
• Greater recognition of coercive control in death reviews
• Enhanced training for police and coroners
• Better data collection on abuse-linked deaths
Recent commentary has warned that many deaths connected to domestic abuse may go unrecognised because investigative frameworks are not designed to capture cumulative psychological harm.
The debate reflects a growing understanding that domestic abuse does not always culminate in homicide, yet its consequences can be equally devastating.
Institutional Questions
Reporting has documented concerns about how the context surrounding Katie’s death was handled, including the decision to close an ongoing investigation after her death.
Her story has contributed to broader scrutiny of whether investigative processes adequately consider patterns of coercion when deaths are recorded as suicide.
At Katie Madden’s inquest, the coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report highlighting serious concerns about how agencies communicated and assessed risk. He noted there was “no formal system in place” to support her despite being recognised as vulnerable, and that safeguarding referrals were handled in isolation rather than a thorough coordinated risk assessment. The report also pointed to gaps in support provision, including the absence of therapeutic intervention that had been discussed but never delivered.
Cases like this prompt difficult but necessary questions: how can systems balance evidentiary standards with the need to recognise complex forms of harm? Are professionals sufficiently equipped to understand the realities of coercive control?
These questions are not about assigning blame lightly, but about examining whether existing approaches reflect lived realities.
Why This Case Matters
“How many more women have got to die? Whether they take their own lives, or whether someone takes their life for them, how many more women, before something is done? How bad does it have to get before someone is prosecuted?”
Katie’s death reminds us that abuse is not always visible. Harm can unfold through words, pressure, and erosion of confidence, leaving individuals feeling isolated or overwhelmed.
Reflecting on her story is not about reducing her life to analysis, but about recognising the need for a deeper understanding of how abuse operates and how systems respond.
At the centre of these discussions is Katie herself - a young woman whose life continues to be remembered by those who knew and loved her, and whose story has prompted calls for deeper understanding.
Final Thoughts
Writing about cases like Katie’s carries responsibility. It requires balancing careful analysis with compassion, and remembering that behind every discussion is a person whose absence is deeply felt.
Her story asks us to consider how we recognise harm, how we listen to families, and how we ensure that experiences of psychological abuse are neither minimised nor overlooked.
Remembering Katie means holding space for both grief and learning while acknowledging her life we can reflect on the questions her story raises.
Organisations and Support
National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge)
https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Women’s Aid
https://www.womensaid.org.uk
Samaritans
https://www.samaritans.org
Victim Support
https://www.victimsupport.org.uk
If you are in immediate danger, call your national emergency number.
