New research reveals three patterns behind intimate-partner homicides in Denmark
The first comprehensive mapping of 61 intimate-partner homicides in Denmark reveals three distinct patterns. Many victims leave traces of violence in the period leading up to the murder, which are often overlooked.
New research reveals three patterns behind intimate-partner homicides in Denmark
A woman wrote in a personal note that her partner had put her in a chokehold three times. Ten days later, she was dead. Source: Politiken
Her story is one of 61 intimate-partner homicides that researchers have now mapped in the first comprehensive study of its kind in Denmark. The analysis shows that the murders fall into three categories, and one pattern has so far been largely invisible.
The most common type is what researchers call "violent intimate-partner homicide". Here there has been a long history of physical and psychological violence in the relationship, often with multiple reports to the police. In this group, there is typically a pattern of escalation that ends fatally.
The second category is "homicide in crisis". Here a sudden acute conflict arises, for example over separation or infidelity, which leads to murder. There has not necessarily been violence in the relationship previously.
The third and least known type is "homicide in a dysfunctional relationship". In these cases, the couple lives in a state of mutual dependence, often marked by substance abuse and psychological instability. The violence can be mutual, and the murder typically occurs in an impulsive situation.
It is especially this third category that researchers believe has been overlooked. Unlike the two other types, there is rarely a clear perpetrator and a clear victim. The relationship is often characterised by chaos, and the murder can seem almost random.
The study shows that many victims leave traces of violence in the period leading up to the murder. Notes, messages to friends or reports to authorities often document an escalating danger. Yet the alarm bells do not always reach the right institutions.
The researchers point out that a better understanding of the three patterns can help police, social authorities and healthcare personnel identify the most vulnerable individuals earlier in the process.
According to criminal researchers, it is crucial to look at the dynamics of the intimate partnership rather than focusing only on individual acts of violence. Particularly in dysfunctional relationships, it can be difficult to spot the risk, because the violence does not follow a classical pattern with a dominant perpetrator and a suppressed victim.
The results of the study have been published in a new research project, which it is hoped can help prevent future murders in intimate relationships.
Source: Politiken