Woman says doctor warned her about abusive relationship after near-fatal attack
A woman who survived a near-fatal attack by her partner says a doctor had previously warned her she was in an abusive relationship, highlighting missed opportunities for intervention.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A woman who survived a near-fatal attack by her former partner has revealed that a doctor had previously warned her she was in an abusive relationship, but she did not believe him. Kaz Goddard, from Weston-Super-Mare, was taken to hospital in Bristol after attempting to take her own life. A doctor there noticed signs of domestic abuse and told her she was at risk. Within weeks, she was subjected to a violent attack by her partner, James Stock, who has since been sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted murder. Goddard suffered a broken nose and severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The case has highlighted missed opportunities for intervention and the broader issue of domestic abuse detection in healthcare settings. Staff at Bristol Royal Infirmary's Accident and Emergency Department are specially trained to spot signs of coercive control and abuse. Latest police figures show that more victims of domestic abuse are suspected to have taken their own lives than were killed by their abuser: police recorded 150 suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse in England and Wales last year, compared with 80 domestic homicides. Kaz's story reflects two of the most serious consequences of domestic abuse: a suicide attempt and then a partner trying to kill her. She said: 'I have no idea who I was at that point. That's not who I am and that's not who I'll ever be again.'
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| A doctor warned Goddard that she was a victim of domestic abuse and that she would get hurt. | |
| Police recorded 150 suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse in England and Wales last year, compared with 80 domestic homicides. | |
| Within weeks of the doctor's warning, Goddard was subjected to a violent attack by James Stock. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the personal story of Kaz Goddard, the doctor's warning, and the hospital's training to spot domestic abuse. It also connected the case to wider police data showing that more domestic abuse victims die by suicide than by homicide, framing the story as a systemic failure and a public health issue.
- “He said, Kaz, you're a victim of domestic abuse. And that was the first words that came out of his mouth.”
- “When you've worked in the emergency department for a long time and you've experienced lots and lots of normal interactions, then there's just little things that make you wonder, is there something going on here?”
- “Police recorded 150 suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse in England and Wales last year, compared with 80 domestic homicides.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.