Two women are dead.
Two separate cases. Two different cities. Both stories have reignited public anger around violence against women, coercive control and whether authorities recognise warning signs early enough.
In Bristol, 35-year-old Jo Shaw died in an explosion after police said her former partner forced entry to a property while carrying an explosive device.
Avon and Somerset Police later referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because officers had previous contact with the victim regarding domestic incidents.
That fact raises difficult questions.
If officers already knew about domestic incidents, what risk assessments took place? What protections did authorities consider? Did anyone fully understand the level of danger?
People are not asking these questions only because of hindsight. Many women report fear, intimidation and coercive control long before serious violence occurs.
Fear Before Separation
In a separate case before the courts, jurors heard that 46-year-old Annabel Rook had expressed fears to family members before her death.
Voice messages played in court described concerns that her partner was “on the warpath” and that the situation could become “messy and horrible”.
Jurors also heard that she described life as “walking on eggshells”.
Her partner, Clifton George, admitted manslaughter but denied murder.
Prosecutors allege he punched, strangled and stabbed Annabel Rook multiple times before a fire and gas explosion tore through the property.
For many survivors of abusive relationships, these details feel horrifyingly familiar.
Not necessarily the explosion itself. Not the headlines. But the pattern:
- escalating tension
- fear before separation
- intimidation
- emotional volatility
- victims trying to manage danger
- situations becoming frightening behind closed doors
Why Warning Signs Matter
After cases like these, the same question often follows:
Why are warning signs around coercive control and escalating abuse still not recognised early enough?
Many people still imagine danger begins only when physical violence starts. In reality, coercive control often appears first through intimidation, threats, isolation, surveillance and emotional punishment.
The point of separation also carries significant risk in abusive relationships.
Despite years of awareness campaigns and domestic homicide reviews, many survivors still say people do not take their fears seriously enough until tragedy happens.
Public Concern Around ‘Loss of Control’
Many people also feel uncomfortable when courts hear “loss of control” arguments in cases involving extreme violence against women.
Most people experience heartbreak, jealousy or rejection without killing anyone.
That is why many members of the public struggle to understand why society still frames some cases through emotional overwhelm rather than sustained abusive behaviour.
None of this means every tragedy could definitely have been prevented.
However, society must stop pretending warning signs rarely exist.
Too often, they do.
If You Feel Frightened, Trust Yourself
If you are experiencing fear, coercive control or emotional abuse in a relationship, you do not need to wait for physical violence before taking your instincts seriously.
Fear matters.
And women should not have to die before the world finally listens.
