The Role of Ethnicity & Birth Country on Intimate Partner Homicide-Suicides (IPHS): United States

• In Event: Victimization: Risk, Perceptions of Risk, and Stigma

Abstract

Intimate partner homicide-suicide (IPHS) is a severe form of interpersonal violence that has detrimental impacts on families and communities. Male-perpetrated femicide-suicides have been strongly associated with priors of domestic violence, jealousy, possessiveness, substance use, premeditation, and firearm access (Cooper & Eaves, 1996; Dawson, 2005; Koziol et al., 2006). Research on homicide-suicide events has examined the demographic and circumstantial characteristics of these incidents and compared types of homicide-suicides with homicides and suicide-only events. However, there has not been a comprehensive analysis of IPHS incidents examining the role of immigration status and Hispanic origin in the perpetration and victimization of these incidents. Through an ecological perspective, this study examines if there is an increased risk of IPHS among Hispanic and foreign-born populations in the United States. The National Violent Death Reporting System: Restricted Access Data (NVDRS-RAD) is proposed to assess the effect of victims’ and offenders’ reported ethnicity, birth country, and priors of domestic violence on the probability of IPHS. This should aid in identifying any structural factors that may be influencing IPHS. Controls are included for relevant variables associated with IPHS. Ultimately, this study will aid in the understanding of IPHS and the development of domestic violence policies.

Author

• Giselle Evelyn Kleiban, Florida International University