Indirect Victims of Sexual Offence Investigations: Exploring the Impact of “The Knock” on Partners’ Mental Health and Wellbeing

“The knock” refers to the moment when the police first arrive at a house to investigate suspected sexual offending by a member of that family. This paper examines the levels of trauma, wellbeing and crisis support for partners, both at the time of the knock and at the current time. Forty-eight participants who had experienced the knock completed an online survey. All respondents were female; they had experienced the knock 0–20 years previously (M = 3.88 years). Participants provided demographics and completed the World Health Organisation (WHO) Wellbeing Index, the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) and the Crisis Support Scale (CSS) for (i) retrospective (at the time of the knock) and (ii) current levels of social support. Participants reported lower levels of wellbeing and higher levels of trauma in comparison with general population norms. Approximately 40% of participants’ scores on the ITQ exceeded the criterion for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a further 25% of participants meeting the criterion for Complex PTSD. Levels of trauma were negatively correlated with wellbeing and with both retrospective and current self-reported crisis support. Qualitative analysis of open-ended questions explored participants’ experiences of the knock, their perceptions of police conduct, and the personal, relational, and practical consequences that followed. The findings highlight substantial and enduring harm among partners and are discussed in relation to implications for current policy and practice.