Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify sociodemographic, contextual, situational, and individual variables, as well as certain behavioral warning signs, associated with filicide as a function of sex of the agressors and the presence or absence of self-destructive behaviours. The data cover all officially registered filicides committed in Quebec from January 1, 1986, to March 31, 1994, against youths under the age of 18 years. For the group of individuals who have self-destructive behaviours, results indicate that men compared to women are more likely to commit spousal homicide, to kill a higher number of victims, to be going through a conjugal separation, to have committed conjugal violence, to have threatened suicide, and to have threatened to kill their spouse. For the group of individuals who commit no self-destructive acts, women are more likely to present with a depressive disorder, whereas men are more likely to maltreated their children. Men who do not commit a self-destructive act are characterized by a significantly higher likelihood of maltreatment against their children and of tyrannical discipline, whereas men who commit a self-destructive act perpetrate filicide as a means of reprisal against their spouse. Results underscore the importance of considering the different groups of individuals who commit filicide as a function of sex as well as presence or absence of self-destructive behaviour.
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Notes
Familicide is the murder of one’s spouse or ex-spouse and at least of one or more of their children.
We are beholden to the Bureau du Coroner en chef de Québec (Office of the Chief Coroner of Quebec) for its collaboration in carrying out this project.
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Léveillée, S., Marleau, J.D. & Dubé, M. Filicide: A Comparison by Sex and Presence or Absence of Self-destructive Behavior. J Fam Viol 22, 287–295 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9081-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9081-3