Differences in intimate partner homicides perpetrated by men and women : evidence from a Norwegian National 22-year cohort

Most of our knowledge about intimate partner homicide (IPH) is
based on studies of men, as they outnumber women as
perpetrators. From a total cohort of IPHs in Norway from 1990 to
2012 (N = 177), we investigated differences between male (n =
157) and female (n = 20) perpetrators in terms of (a) IPH
characteristics and sentencing issues, (b) sociodemographic,
contextual and clinical factors, and (c) previous intimate partner
violence. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that, in
comparison to male perpetrators, female perpetrators were more
often in intimate partnerships without mutual children, had a
greater number of accumulated welfare deficiencies, and tended
to be ascribed different motives (fear and revenge) for their crimes.
Keywords: intimate partner homicide, gender differences, risk
assessment, female perpetrators, intimate partner violence