Younger women incur excess risk of uxoricide by stabbing and other hands-on killing methods

Victim-perpetrator relationship, age and method of homicide in intimate and non-intimate cases of femicide from the republic of Ireland

This study presents a review of femicides over 31 years (1991-2021) from the Republic of Ireland. A total of 253 cases were located and reviewed, of those 125 were intimate partner homicides (IPH) and 128 non-intimate homicides (NIH). One hundred and ninety-nine (78%) girls and women were killed by a male known to them - intimate partner (husband, partner, boyfriend, ex-partner, ex-boyfriend) (n = 125; 48%), family members (son, grandson, brother, cousin) (n = 25; 10%) and/or acquaintances (n = 49; 19%) from adolescence to old age. Thirty-one (12%) were killed by a stranger and 23 cases remain unsolved at this time. The method of killing depended on the relationship and age of the victim and perpetrator. The majority of IPH victims were less than 45 years of age (n = 101). Twenty-four were over 45 years of which six were over 60 years of age. The leading method of killing in IPHs was stabbing and strangulation and this was more prevalent in those aged between 26 and 45 years. As age increases, IPH decreases with the exception of cases of IP homicide-suicide. Adolescents (13-19 years) and young women (20-25 years) were more often killed by strangulation. Strangulation was also the leading cause of death in stranger killings particularly with sexual violence. There were 20 cases of matricide, with 17 perpetrators suffering from a mental illness at the time of the killing. The leading method of homicide in non-intimate homicides was blunt force trauma.

Prevalence and correlates of knife-related victimization: Insights from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample

Few studies have explored the incidence and general trends in knife-related victimizations in the United States (US), especially in settings where preventive interventions can potentially be initiated such as emergency departments (EDs). The goal of the present investigation was to provide an empirical portrait of the psychosocial and behavioral health characteristics of patients assaulted by sharp objects, particularly knives, as revealed in EDs in the US, as less research has focused on knife victimization in the US than internationally. This study uses data from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), which is part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project distributed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Findings revealed that demographically males (especially those aged 18-25), those in poverty, and members of racially minoritized groups were more likely to be present with knife-related assault. Key factors increasing the odds of knife-related victimization treated in EDs were homelessness, legal involvement, and substance use, particularly alcohol and stimulant use disorder. Somewhat surprisingly, mental health diagnosis was not associated with increased knife-related victimization. Although EDs are critical to treating knife-related victimization, they are also potentially key points to launch prevention for high-risk individuals to reduce subsequent violence stemming from escalation of interpersonal disputes.

Improper weapons are a neglected category of harmful objects

According to legislation, objects are typically classified as weapons if they are offensive per se (referred to here as proper) and if they are adapted for use as weapons or carried with the intent of causing injury (referred to here as improper), with specific regulations on their usage and possession in public spaces. However, little evidence exists on the validity of this distinction in psychology, despite a widespread recognition of the importance of psychological states and subjective perceptions in risk assessment. We conducted an online survey to evaluate hazard perceptions in relation to three dimensions (dangerousness, frequency of events, controllability) of three object categories: proper weapons, improper weapons, and everyday objects. The data from our 300 respondents reveal that the three categories of objects differ from one another on the three dimensions. Moreover, hazard perceptions differ between males and females for improper weapons but less so for proper weapons. These findings suggest that proper and improper weapons are two psychologically distinct categories, albeit with fuzzy boundaries. Investigations into their differential properties may thus help improve risk assessment in security contexts.

Wife murder: Female baby a risk factor

There is less reporting and research on uxoricide, owing to wide heterogeneity and multiple sub-types of perpetrators. We present a rare complex case following birth of a girl. A jobless husband obscured the murder of his wife combining sundry sharp, blunt and asphyxiating forces which were discovered at autopsy. Female child birth is proposed as an independent risk factor previously unreported.

The magnitude of the injury pattern in femicides by stabbing in Colombian women

Introducción. Estudiar la gravedad del trauma físico en las víctimas de feminicidio podría contribuir a prevenirlo de forma más efectiva.Objetivo. Determinar si el número de heridas en los feminicidios con arma cortopunzante varía respecto a la edad de la víctima y su relación con el atacante.Materiales y métodos. La población correspondió a mujeres colombianas lesionadas hasta la muerte con arma cortopunzante entre 2011 y 2013 (n=331; edad promedio 14-91 años), quienes fueron categorizadas por rangos de edad y tipos de relación con los agresores. Dos análisis ANOVA de una vía y uno factorial permitieron identificar diferencias entre los promedios de las lesiones de las víctimas y los efectos de interacción entre las categorías establecidas.Resultados. El patrón de gravedad del trauma físico fue mayor en mujeres entre los 22 y 40 años y con vínculos románticos con los agresores. Los rangos de edad y tipos de relación tuvieron efectos de interacción sobre la cantidad de heridas sufridas.Conclusión. La edad de las víctimas y el tipo de relación que tenían con el agresor son variables a considerar al diseñar políticas de prevención del feminicidio dado que su conexión con actos violentos resulta en un patrón peor de lesiones.

Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Homicides Among Ethnic Sub-Groups of Asians

This study explored differences in intimate partner homicides (IPHs) among Asian Americans. Data from newspapers and femicide reports by different state coalitions on 125 intimate partner killings occurring between 2000 and 2005 were analyzed. Men were the perpetrators in nearly 9 out of 10 cases of Asian IPHs. Gender differences were found in ages of victims and perpetrators, types of relationship between partners, and methods of killing. Most homicides occurred among South-east Asians, and East Asians had the highest within-group proportion of suicides. The findings call for culturally competent risk assessment and intervention strategies to prevent IPHs among at-risk Asian Americans.