Untitled Document

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE

Suicide prevention is violence prevention.

Recent suicidal behavior is often an indication of pending violence toward others (Buteau, Lesage and Kiely 1993).

In one study, 65% of female survivors of a spouse suicide had experienced some form of abuse (Constantino and Sutton, 1997).

In a study of alcohol abusers, 1/3 of those with suicide attempts had a positive history for domestic violence toward spouses (Bergman and Brismar, 1994).

Murder-suicide between spouses and lovers represents one-half to three-fourths of all murder-suicides in the United States (Dorpat, 1966; Palmer and Humphrey, 1980; Allen, 1983; Current et al., 1991).

Half of all filicides (murder of children age 1 through 16) and infacticides (children under the age of one year), are perpetrated by a parent, most often the mother (Adelson, 1991; Myers, 1970; Resnick, 1969). Following the murder, 16 to 29% of the mothers commit suicide, while 40 to 60% of the fathers do so (Adleson, 1991; Myers, 1970; Rodenburg, 1971; Wiley, Pearn, Petric and Nixon, 1982; d’Orban, 1979).

Women exposed to acute or prior domestic violence were more likely than unexposed women to have made suicide attempts (Abbott, et al, 1995).

Suicide risk is increased in victims of domestic violence (Yellowless & Kaushik, 1994).

Two studies have found that battered women have a suicide attempt rate of between 20 and 26% (Mehta and Dandrea, 1988; Hillard, 1985).

Approximately half of all U.S. murders are followed by a suicide (Brandon, 1976).

Violent family interactions is a significant variable in youth suicide and completions (Kosky, 1983).

It has been estimated that at least 30% of violent people have a history of self-destructive behavior; whereas 20% of suicidal persons have a history of violence (van Praag, Plutchik, and Apter, 1990).

Murder-suicides frequently represent the culmination of a chaotic, abusive relationship (Selkin, 1976; Berman 1979; Shepard, 1961).

Bitter conflict, morbid jealousy, verbal abuse and sub-lethal violence typically precede murder-suicide (Dorpat, 1966; Berman 1979; Allen, 1983).

Between 19 and 26% of male spouse murderers commit suicide, whereas only 3% of female spouse murderers do so. Most female spouse murders follow a history of domestic abuse (Marzuk, Tardiff and Hirsch, 1992b).

Men who kill their wives and lovers usually do so in response to the woman’s attempt to leave an abusive relationship (Browne, 1987; Wilbanks, 1983).

Separation was a factor in more than 57% of male-perpetrated acts of domestic violence which precipitated a murder-suicide (1996).

Double suicides are often motivated by the couples’ fear of separation and the fantasy that they can remain together in death (Rosen, 1981).

Buteau J, Lesage AD, Kiely MC. Homicide followed by suicide: A Quebec case series, 1988 – 1990. Can J Psychiatry 1993; 389:552-556.

Constantino RE, Sutton L B, et al, Holistic Nursing Practice, v.11, no.2, (1997), p 60-68, 1997.

Bergman B, Brismar B, Alcohol & Alcoholism, v.29, no.4, (1994), p. 451-457, 1994.

Dorpat TL, Suicide in murderers. Psychiatry Digest 1966;27(6):51-55.

Palmer S. Humphrey JA. Offender-victim relationships in criminal homicide followed by offender’s suicide, North Carolina, 1972-1977. Suicide Life-Threat Behav 1980 10:106-118.

Allen NH. Homicide followed by suicide: Los Angeles, 1970-1979. Suicide Life-Threat Behav 1983; 13:155-165.

Adelson L. Pedicide revisited: The slaughter continues. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1991; 12:16-26.

Myers SA. Maternal filicide, Am J Dis Child 1970; 120:534-536.

Resnick PJ, Child murder by parents: A psychiatric review of filicide. Am J Psychiatry 1969; 126:325-334.

Abbott J, Johnson R, et al, JAMA, v.273, no.22, (June 14, 1995), p. 1763-1767, 1995.

Yellowlees P M, Kaushik A V, The Medical Journal of Australia, v.160, no.7, (April 4, 1994), p.408-411, 1994.

Mehta P. Dandrea L A, American Family Physician, v.37, no.1, (January 1988), p. 193-199, 1988.

Hillard P J A, Obstetrics & Gynecology, v.66, no.2, (August 1985), p. 185-190, 1985.

Brandon S, Atlantics Highlands, N.J.:Humanities Press Inc., 1976, p.1-25, 1976.

Kosky R. Silburn S, Zubrick SR. Are children and adolescents who have suicidal thoughts different from those who attempt suicide? J Nerv Ment Dis 1990; 178:38-43.

Van Praag HM, Plutchik R, Apter A. Violence and suicidality: Perspective in clinical and psychobiological research. New York: Brunner/Mazel 1990.

Selkin J. Rescue fantasies in homicide-suicide. Suicide Life-Threat Behav 1976; 6:79-85.

Berman A. Dyadic death: Murder-suicide. Suicide Life-Threat Behav 1979; 9:15-23.

Shepherd M. Morbid jealousy: Some clinical and social aspects of a psychiatric syndrome. J Ment Sci 1961; 107:687-753.

Marzuk PM, Tardiff K, Hirsch CS. The epidemiology of murder-suicide. JAMA 1992b; 267:3179-3183.

Browne A. Assault and homicide in the home: When battered women kill. In MJ Saks, L. Saxe (eds), Advances in social psychology, vol. 3. Hillsdale NJ: Erlbaum 1987.

Wilbanks W. The female homicide offender in Dade County, Florida. Crim Justice Rev 1983;8:9.

Rosen BK. Suicide pacts: A review. Pschol Med 1981; 11:525-533.