Domestic violence homicides cause for concern

Approximately five years ago, I wrote a column with the same above title, due to what was happening in the country at the time. Five years later, though we are seeing a few twists and turns where domestic violence and its resulting outcomes are concerned, I think it key to republish parts of it, given the fact that we are seeing too many women being killed by their partners or previous partners.

There is numerous research out there on what are called “Lethality Indicators” that women should pay attention to, as these may indicate the likelihood of an intense domestic situation possibly turning deadly. One paper which points to these “lethality indicators”, is entitled “Domestic Violence Homicides” and it was written by Vernon J. Geberth, Former Commander of the Bronx Homicide Division of the NYPD, in the United States. His key findings were recorded in Law and Order Magazine in 1998. They are listed below. Let’s take note.

Findings on Lethality Indicators
Geberth (1998) concluded that Homicides involving Domestic Violence can be prevented through early intervention by law enforcement, social services and the criminal justice system.
“Even victims who are reluctant to press charges due to lack of resources; emotional, physical, financial, or psychological, can be assisted once they have been identified and removed from the hostile environment. Persons who abuse their partners are potentially dangerous and some are more likely to kill. Especially when certain conditions exist,” he writes.
The author further notes that these conditions or indicators suggest the potential to kill. Obviously, he says, the more indicators present, the greater the potential for Domestic Violence Homicides to occur.

Lethality Indicators

1. “Ownership” of the battered partner
The batterer who states “Death before divorce!” or “You belong to me and will never belong to another!” or the old standby; “If I can’t have you nobody will!” may be stating his fundamental belief that you have no right to life separate from him.

2. Centrality of the partner
A man who idolises his partner, or who depends heavily on her to organise and sustain his life, or who has isolated himself from all other community, may retaliate against a partner who decides to end the relationship. He rationalises that her “betrayal” justifies his lethal “retaliation".

3. Depression
Where a batterer has been acutely depressed and sees little hope for moving beyond depression, he may be a candidate for homicide and suicide.

4. Repeated intervention by law enforcement
Partner or spousal homicide almost always occurs in a context of historical violence. Prior intervention by the police indicates elevated risk of life-threatening conduct.

5. Escalation of risk-taking
A less obvious indicator of increasing danger may be the sharp escalation of personal risk undertaken by a batterer; when a batterer begins to act without regard to the legal or social consequences that previously constrained his violence. The chances of lethal assault increase significantly.

6. Threats of homicide or suicide
The batterer who has threatened to kill his (ex) partner, himself, the children or her relatives must be considered extremely dangerous.

7. Fantasies of homicide or suicide
The more the batterer has developed a fantasy about who, how, when and/or where to kill, the more dangerous he may be. The batterer who has previously acted out part of a homicide or suicide fantasy, may be invested in killing as a “solution to his problems".

8. Weapons
When a batterer possesses, collects, or is obsessed with weapons and/or has used them or has threatened to use them in the past in his assaults on women, the children or himself, increases his potential for lethal assault.

9. Timing
When a batterer believes that he is about to lose his (ex) partner or when he concludes that she is permanently leaving him; if he cannot envision life without her, this may be when he chooses to kill. That is not to say that all batterers kill when they conclude that the battered woman is separating from him. Some kill long before they have any idea that the battered woman may be thinking about leaving. So, it is not safe to assume that because she hasn’t made plans to leave, that the batterer will not be dangerous.

10. History of antisocial behaviour
A batterer who has demonstrated aggressive behaviour to the general public such as bar fights, gang related violence, job related violence, vandalism, repeated unlawful behaviour, or illegal occupation is likely to be more dangerous.

11. Hostage-taking
A hostage-taker is at high risk of inflicting homicide.

12. Drugs and alcohol
Men with a history of problems with drugs and/or alcohol show a higher risk. In addition, regardless of their drug and/or alcohol history, intoxication at the time of the assault shows significant risk to partners.

13. Violence in his family of origin
The more severe the violence either experienced personally, or observed, in the family of origin, the more the risk.