Breaking the Silence: Kate’s Story
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“People don’t think that it can happen to middle class, professional people. Domestic abuse has no boundaries. It can affect absolutely anybody.” Kate Kniveton, Former MP for Burton and Uttoxeter.
Former MP Kate Kniveton shares her story in-depth for the first time — revealing the decade of abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband, Andrew Griffiths, who was at the time a Conservative Government minister.
The powerful and deeply personal film follows Kate as she meets with other high-achieving, professional women, whose outward success masked devastating abuse at home. Together, they unpack the way many survivors can feel ashamed for not recognising signs of abuse sooner, a stigma that can make it even harder to leave.
Kate meets Dr Seema Haider, a GP, who describes how her ex-partner used tactics like love-bombing and coercive control to isolate and manipulate her: “People often ask, how did you get yourself into that situation? You know, you’re a doctor, you should be able to recognise it. But it's incredibly difficult when it's happening to you, because it's so insidious, it's so erosive. It starts off small, and then it escalates. And, I think, before you know it, you’re really in the thick of it.”
Another survivor, Laura, who is a high-ranking police officer, reveals that despite her role, she felt unable to confide in anyone at work due to the stigma of abuse — saying: “Explaining all that to another police officer - it’s embarrassing.”
Catherine, a University Lecturer, describes how the abuse she was experiencing at home stood at odds with her flourishing career: “I poured most of my energies over time, into my work. But what that did was, that created an even greater gulf between the professional identity that I had, which was highly successful, and then, this sense I had, of my personal identity, which was whatever the kinds of things that he would increasingly say.”
Kate is also keen to shed light on the secretive workings of the family courts – where an estimated 30,000 cases each year involve allegations of domestic abuse. Many survivors report feeling retraumatised and disbelieved by the very process meant to protect them.
“I am traumatised, not just by the 10 years of abuse I experienced but by the following five years in which he continued to use the legal system to abuse me.” Kate Kniveton, Former MP for Burton and Uttoxeter.
Dr Charlotte Proudman, who was Kate’s barrister in the family court, explains in the film: “It’s very common, even when there are convictions for domestic abuse offences, for a parent to be granted regular unsupervised contact with their child.”
Kate and other survivors share their experiences, voicing deep concerns that the courts often fail to safeguard children from violent ex-partners. Kate meets Amy, a Social Worker, who has spent a decade fighting to protect her children from her dangerous ex-partner. Despite his convictions for brutally assaulting her, and his violence towards the children, the courts allowed him to see them completely unsupervised.
This comes five years on from the Ministry of Justice’s Harm Report, which warned that the family courts were putting children’s safety at risk – yet many of its key recommendations still remain unimplemented. This alarming reality is reinforced by Women’s Aid, whose latest report found that 67 children have been killed in the UK in the past 30 years during contact visits with a known domestic abuser.
Kate also meets with Jess Phillips MP, the newly appointed Minister for Safeguarding and VAWG, to discuss the urgent reforms needed to better protect survivors and their children.
Jess tells her: “So much of what happens in the domestic abuse space is so hidden from the public’s view. I think if people knew half of what you and I have seen, there’d be pitchforks. ... There is absolutely loads to do — it’s so ingrained, whether it’s in the court system or how councils commission local refuge and support services.”
Through Kate’s powerful testimony, heart-breaking and insightful accounts from other survivors and expert commentary, ‘Breaking the Silence: Kate’s Story’ exposes how misunderstood domestic abuse remains, and how our legal system is repeatedly failing those it’s meant to protect.
The Ministry of Justice responded to allegations raised in the film: “Any case involving the death of a child is a tragedy, and our sincere condolences go out to the families [affected]. We will see where improvements can be made to the Family Court system to help prevent these awful crimes.” They added that work is ongoing to ensure the family court is safe for children and families, highlighting the Pathfinder pilot to improve outcomes in private law cases.
At the final hearing in January 2024, Mr Griffiths accepted all the findings of abuse found by the family court, except that of rape. However, when asked to respond to this programme he said: “I have always denied the allegations made. The Family Court has a much lower burden of proof and has always been private and confidential. The Family Court has failed our child. Publication of salacious allegations can only harm the children. Every child has the right to have both parents in their lives. I will never stop fighting to be a father to my child, and to demonstrate to them just how much I love them.”
Important Contact Details:
If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you can’t speak and are calling on a mobile press 55 to have your call transferred to the police.
Domestic Violence Helplines:
The Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline for Northern Ireland: help@dsahelpline.org 0808 802 1414
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
Wales: Live Fear Free Helpline: 08088010800
England: Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
UK wide Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline specifically for male victims: 08088010327
Rape Crisis Rape Crisis England & Wales Call free on 0808 500 2222
Surviving Economic Abuse: 0808 196 8845 (run by Money Advice Plus)
The Mix, free information and support for under 25s in the UK: 0808 808 4994
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428 (run by Galop)
Samaritans: 116 123
For issues concerning child abuse, you can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000
Women’s Aid:
Women's Aid is a grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated. They can offer direct support through their email service and Survivor’s Forum.
Contact helpline@womensaid.org.uk to speak to a Women’s Aid professional or https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
Refuge:
Refuge, the largest UK domestic abuse organisation for women, offers a wide range of services to support victims of domestic abuse. Visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk to fill in a webform and request a safe time to be contacted or to access live chat (live chat available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday). For support with technology-facilitated abuse visit refugetechsafety.org.
Rights of Women
Rights of Women (ROW) provides frontline legal advice to women experiencing all forms of violence against women and girls in England and Wales. Call their advice lines listed below or fill in a webform to receive support.
Family law advice line: 020 7251 6577
Criminal law advice line: 020 7251 8887
FLOWS: A free online criminal law advice service for women in England and Wales called FLOWS Answers. You can write to them using the online tool and a lawyer from the Rights of Women team will email you with a response to your question within 2 weeks: https://cms.rightsofwomen.org.uk/flows-answers/triage
Surviving Economic Abuse
Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it. SEA runs a Financial Support line in partnership with Money Advice Plus, which provides dedicated support to victim-survivors with their money worries, providing the opportunity to regain financial control and economic stability.
They can be contacted on 0808 196 8845 between 9am–5pm Monday to Friday. Calls are free of charge.
https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/
Practitioner Health
NHS staff in England and Scotland are able to access confidential mental health care through NHS Practitioner Health. The service exists to support health and care staff who face barriers or experience difficulties accessing care through mainstream routes and understand how issues such as domestic abuse can cause stigma. Practitioner Health can offer access to expert mental health clinicians and to both one to one and group therapy.
The service is available at www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk or by calling 0300 0303 300
https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/
Centre for Women’s Justice
Centre for Women’s Justice is a small charity which aims to hold the state to account for violence against women and girls. Their website provides signposting to specialist legal advice on varies different types of legal issues.
https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/home
For those causing harm who want to stop:
Respect: 0808 8024040 or info@respectphoneline.org.uk
Talk, Listen, Change: 0161 872 1100 or enquiries@talklistenchange.org.uk
RUNTIME:
70 Minutes
PRESENTER:
Kate Kniveton
SHOOTING ASSISTANT PRODUCER:
Natasha McCabe
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER:
Louise Tickle
PRODUCED, DIRECTED & FILMED BY:
Rachel Cumella
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Brian Woods
RELEASED:
2025
Reviews
It was a very brave documentary to make.
Loose Women
To the outside world it looked like Kniveton and Griffiths had the perfect relationship. But behind closed doors Griffiths was “violent, controlling and unpredictable,” she told the documentary.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Many survivors report feeling retraumatised and disbelieved by the very process meant to protect them.
Daily Record