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Abstract
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Frequencies of homicide victimization of wives and husbands, while cohabiting and when separated, are reported for all spousal homicides known to the police in Canada (1974-1990), in New South Wales, Australia (1968-1986), and in Chicago (1965-1990). In all three data sets, the degree to which spousal homicide victimization was female-biased was significantly greater when the couple were estranged than when they were coresiding. Victim counts and population-at-large estimates of coresiding and separated now-married spouses were combined to estimate differential homicide rates incurred by coresiding and estranged married persons. Wives in all three countries incurred substantially elevated risk when separated as compared to when coresiding.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this study by Wilson and Daly was to quantitatively assess the magnitude of the homicide risk for wives who have separated from their husbands.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors employed a non-experimental design in this study. Specifically, the authors used police report data gathered and stored in national data banks by officials in Canada, Australia, and Chicago. More specifically, the authors used police reports of spousal homicides for their analysis. The authors intended to count the incidences of spousal homicide for both men and women in these areas. They also intended to calculate the differential spousal homicide rates for these areas. To do this, the authors combined the victim counts with the population-at-large estimates. Only homicides involving registered marriages were included in the calculation of these rates. Because de facto marital couples involved in spousal homicide were not reliably identified in all three data sets, common law couples were excluded. The data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The results showed that spousal homicide is female biased. Female victims of spousal homicide outnumbered male victims in Canada and Australia by a ratio of over three to one. The Chicago data showed a much different pattern. The authors found that the ratio of female to male victims in Chicago was nearly one to one. They also found that this was significantly different from the ratios for the Canadian and Australian data.
Next, the authors examined the risk of spousal homicide for individuals in separated vs. coresiding relationships. Data showed that women are at greater risk when they are separated from their partners compared to those who are still living with their partners. Moreover, the authors found that the risk to separated women varied over time. Data showed that women were at the greatest risk for spousal homicide during the first two months of their separation. However, the data indicated that this risk still existed months and even years after the separation. In contrast, data showed that men experience the same risk whether they are separated from or living with their spouse.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors made several recommendations. First, they suggested that more needs to be done to maintain the safety of women who leave abusive partners, e.g., improved stalking laws and radio-telemetry of batterers. Second, the authors recommended that the causal connection between separation and assault be examined directly. The authors argued that current research has not established that leaving an abusive partner is a direct cause of abuse. Third, the authors suggested that more research be focused on the motive of such attacks, the masculine psychology of coercion, and the relationship between who initiates the separation and their risk of spousal homicide.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Domestic Homicide
Domestic Violence Effects
Domestic Violence Causes
Domestic Violence Risk Factors
Domestic Violence Victim
Domestic Violence Offender
Family Relations
Family Environment
Homicide Causes
Homicide Risk Factors
Homicide Victim
Homicide Offender
Spouse Abuse Victim
Spouse Abuse Homicide
Spouse Abuse Offender
Spouse Abuse Effects
Spouse Abuse Causes
Spouse Abuse Risk Factors
At Risk Adult
At Risk Female
Canada
Australia
Illinois
Statistical Data
Countries Other Than USA
Adult Violence
Adult Victim
Adult Offender
Adult Female
Adult Male
Leaving An Abusive Relationship
Female Victim
Male Violence
Male Offender
Violence Against Women
Partner Violence
Language: en |