CCJ 425 Lecture 05 (2/21/2011)

Intimate Partner Homicides three forms

Single killings one partner kills the other.

When men kill women it is usually after a long period of longitudinal abuse. When women kill men, it is nearly always for one of three reasons: (1.) they are defending themselves, although battered women are required to retreat if possible. (2.) Defense of children, and (3.) pre-emptive strike against the batterer. 1200-1500 occur a year.
2.

Homicide Suicides: 92% of the perpetrators are male. In 2/3 of these cases, there is a history of domestic violence. Familicide The perpetrator takes out the entire family, including their children, spouse, and often themselves. Rare events, although no less devastating, obviously. Evidence is clear that the number is increasing.

3.

Jack Levin Newsweek Online: Catherine Skipp wrote article that familicide is increasing and that it doubled between January 08April 08 and September 08-December 08. 1500-2000 child deaths occur each year. Parricide: The act of a child murdering their parent(s). 90% of cases involve children that have been physically, sexually, or emotionally abused by their parents. The other 10% usually involves mental illness or a psychotic episode. Sibling murders are also under the umbrella of domestic violence. Sexual Competitive Killing: Usually, young males killing other young males due to jealousy of the victims new woman [who is also their former partner]. Example is that old partner murders

the new partner due to unresolved feelings of jealousy. Women are less likely kill other women over a man. Suicide: We lose more women to suicide each year, usually due to having left a relationship than to women who have been murdered by a partner. to 1/3 of these 6000 women commit suicide to get out of an abusive relationship. We are not sure how many men who commit suicides are perpetrators of abuse. 24,000 men commit suicide a year, which is double the number of total homicides. Indirect deaths: which include the deaths of homeless women (for example). 3/5 of women on the streets were put in that situation as a result of domestic abuse (according to Zorza). Indirect deaths encompass the following--HIV infections --- battered women are at high risk for contracting HIV. Blood barriers due to injury make them more susceptible to the infection. Their partners are also likelier to have been in jail/prison. Abusers more likely to use intravenous drugs and are less likely to use barrier contraceptive methods due to control issues. Sex workers are also incredibly brutalized. Often these individuals are in these situations due to domestic violence and these individuals have an incredibly high risk of mortality. Drug-addicted women are often in situations of intimate partner violence. Bystander deaths --- Co-workers of domestic violence victims are also at risk of death. For every death that is completed, there are 9 or 10 near-death situations. Risk and risk-assessment: what cases are likely to end in homicide?

The time frame of risk --- Are we conversing about immediate risk, or the risk of tomorrow, or ten years from now? How long does risk at an elevated level last? Who is at risk from situations of intimate partner violence; is it the victim, the children, and those who help these victims? Perpetrators can aggravate situations through secondary characters such as children. What type of risk are we trying to assess homicide or serious injury? Many sexual predators are likely to reoffend. Unfortunately, we do not have comparable data with domestic violence homicides. We can assess risk depending on the range of danger.
1.

Prior history best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. In 70 to 85% of cases in which a victim dies, there is a history of intimate partner violence. This is different from situational violence. This is much worse, often involving intimate partner terrorism.

Femicide ---- 220 deaths in a study by Jacquelyn Campbell. Control group had 343 women. Campbell found a 20 fold difference between the control group and the women who died. The women that had been murdered were 20x likelier to have a received threat of injury with a dangerous weapon. Victims are 15x times more likely to have been threatened by their partners that they could be murdered. There was no relationship between the number of threats and the execution of that threat. The women who were murdered were 9x likelier to have been victims of attempted of strangulation. Victims are 7.5x likelier to have been raped than the control group. Forced sex is also a marker, as well as access to guns.

Escalation --- can be measured with hospital records, selfreporting, calls to the police, and restraining orders. The increase in severity may be qualitative and not necessary quantitative. The victims perception will be the greatest marker of risk to their safety.

Entrapment --- how trapped the victim feels by their situation.

Twists in the abuse --- something new begins to occur; a strange behavior. An example includes a woman who three weeks prior to her death noted that her partner placed a gun on the nightstand before consummating their relationship each night.

Stalking is also a behavior that can be considered an indicator of homicide, doubling to tripling the risk of homicide.

2.

Pending / Occurring Separation --- emotional estrangement the victim begins to distance themselves from the perpetrator. The perpetrator is jealous of the victims move towards independence or change. Separation is present in 50-70% of cases of homicide. The perpetrator may feel that their partners growing independence is a threat to their personal identity or potency. The perpetrator is both powerful and powerless at the same time.

3.

Obsessive possession (morbid jealously): Perpetrator believes their partner is being unfaithful to them, without a justification for the belief.

4.

Depression and Suicide: depression in the perpetrator is dangerous; if someone is suicidal, they can also be considered homicidal. Anger as a method of eradicating depression. Men who are depressed, but not violent are considered even more alarming. Middle class families that have fallen on difficult times may have a perpetrator believe that it is better to kill their family than to let them suffer.

5. Frequent alcohol and narcotic use.

Response to authority figures: Most DV offenders are deterred by judges and police officers. Most choose to comply with restraining orders. Those who do not obey orders must be paid attention.

The fuck you guys are easier to catch. - Dr. Websdale

The covert abusers are more difficult to trace; they smile and obey orders, but find their way around restrictions. Which I think makes them much more dangerous.

7.

Prior criminal history: 40% of those who kill have a record of violence.

8.

Perpetrator unemployment: Why is the perpetrator unemployed? The less control over their employment they have, the more of a threat these perpetrators tend to be. Blended families: Step-children in the family are a lightning rod for domestic homicide. Usually this occurs if the victim has children from a previous relationship. pregnancy: If the perpetrator abuses the victim during pregnancy, the victim has a 300% risk of being a victim of intimate partner homicide than those who are not abused during gestation. injuries, brain trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder: If the perpetrator has any of these conditions, they are likelier to be abusive than those without them. Injuries alter brain chemistry and make it difficult for these individuals to form emotional attachment to their partner, which leads to a sense of isolation. Mental-illness is uncommon in perpetrators. age difference between partners: The age difference elevates the risk of homicide. immigration status: If the victim is an immigrant, they are 2 or 3 times likelier to be victimized. (The perpetrator has a strong form of leverage)

9.

10. Victim

11. Head

12. 10+

13. Victims