Understanding Victim Satisfaction: Police Responses to Domestic Abuse in Wales, UK

Victim engagement is central to domestic abuse investigations, yet attrition is often shaped by victims’ experiences of first response policing. This article examines how response officer conduct influences victim satisfaction and willingness to support police action in domestic abuse cases in Mid and South Wales. Drawing on survivor accounts of police contact, the analysis shows that satisfaction is driven less by formal procedural steps and more by interpersonal practice, particularly listening, empathy and respectful communication, alongside the avoidance of dismissive or judgemental interactions. Where victims experienced validation and practical support, they reported greater willingness to cooperate with investigative and safeguarding action. The findings extend procedural justice and trauma-informed policing debates by evidencing a relational mechanism linking frontline response to victim cooperation in domestic abuse contexts.