Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Reporting Femicide-Suicide in the News: The Current Utilization of Suicide Reporting Guidelines and Recommendations for the Future

Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Public health officials have developed and disseminated recommendations for the responsible reporting of suicide in an effort to dispel myths about suicide-completers and minimize contagion effects. However, recommendations as to the reporting of homicide-suicide events have not been a priority in these initiatives. The current study assesses the degree to which newspaper coverage of the most commonly occurring type of homicide-suicide event, femicide-suicide, adhere to existing suicide reporting recommendations by examining newspaper coverage (n = 143) of a population of femicide-suicide cases (n = 83) from North Carolina for the years 2002–2009. The current study demonstrates the importance of developing and disseminating reporting guidelines to assist in dispelling myths about the victims and perpetrators of lethal intimate partner violence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The data provided by the NCCADV are not the only source of data available from which femicide-suicide events can be identified and used to investigate journalist reporting. We chose to use the NCCADV’s data for several reasons. These data are publically available and indicate which events were followed by perpetrator suicide. In comparison to other sources, such as UCR data, that rely on official records (and voluntary reporting to the FBI), the NCCADV provides a more complete list of femicide-suicide events from all counties in the state. An additional source which provides detailed information on homicide events is the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS; a source noted by the NCCADV website). The authors chose to use the NCCADV data, as opposed to NC-VDRS data, in part because of accessibility, but also as a means of acknowledging the efforts of the coalition to both collect data and promote awareness of issues related to domestic violence. Furthermore, the NCCADV data provide two additional years of domestic homicide events (2002–2003) compared to the NC-VDRS.

References

  • Abbott, J., Johnson, R., Koizol-McLain, J., & Lowestein, S. R. (1995). Domestic violence against women: incidence and prevalence in an emergency department population. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 273, 1763–1767.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Associated Press (2003). Threats, jealousy preceded 4 deaths – Neighbors say family had a history of domestic disputes. The Charlotte Observer, p. 4B.

  • Banks, L., Crandall, C., Sklar, D., & Bauer, M. (2008). A comparison of intimate partner homicide to intimate partner homicide-suicide: One hundred and twenty-four New Mexico cases. Violence Against Women, 14, 1065–1078.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barber, C. W., Azrael, D., Hemenway, D., Olson, L. M., Nie, C., Schaechter, J., & Walsh, S. (2008). Suicides and suicide attempts following homicide: victim-suspect relationship, weapon type, and presence of antidepressants. Homicide Studies, 12, 285–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, B. L. (2004). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berns, N. (2001). Degendering the problem and gendering the blame: political discourse on women and violence. Gender & Society, 15(2), 262–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bible, A. H. (2002). Victim listed as critical. The News & Observer, p. B1.

  • Bossarte, R. M., Simon, T. R., & Barker, L. (2006). Characteristics of homicide followed by suicide incidents in multiple states, 2003–04. Injury Prevention, 12, 33–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brock, K. (2002). American roulette: The untold story of murder-suicide in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Violence Policy Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullock, C. F., & Cubert, J. (2002). Coverage of domestic violence in newspapers in Washington State. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, 475–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campanelli, C., & Gilson, T. (2002). Murder-suicide in New Hampshire, 1995–2000. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 23, 248–251.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. C. (2002). Health consequences of intimate partner violence. The Lancet, 359, 1331–1336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. C., Webster, D., Koziol-McLain, J., Block, C., Campbell, D., Curry, M. A., et al. (2003). Risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships: results from a multisite case control study. American Journal of Public Health, 93(7), 1089–1097.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. C., Glass, N., Sharps, P. W., Laughon, K., & Bloom, T. (2007). Intimate partner homicide: review and implications of research and policy. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 8, 246–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cataldo, A. L. (2002). Months of fear end in murder-suicide – Restraining order didn’t keep [perpetrator] away. The Charlotte Observer, p. 2B.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2001). National Institute of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of the Surgeon General, American Fondation for Suicide Prevention, American Society of Suicidology, Annenberg Public Policy Center. Reporting on suicide: Recommendations for the media. Retrieved from http://www.sprc.org/library/sreporting.pdf.

  • Conner, K. R., Cox, C., Duberstein, P. R., Tian, L., Nisbet, P. A., & Conwell, Y. (2001). Violence, alcohol, and completed suicide: a case–control study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 1701–1705.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crabtree, B., & Miller, W. (1999). A template approach to text analysis: Developing and using codebooks. In B. Crabtree & W. Miller (Eds.), Doing qualitative research (pp. 163–177). Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, R., & Gartner, R. (1998). Differences in the characteristics of intimate femicides: the role of relationship state and relationship status. Homicide Studies, 2, 378–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eliason, S. (2009). Murder-suicide: a review of the recent literature. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry Law, 37, 371–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, C. (2009). Sister of domestic murder-suicide nearly 100 take part in domestic violence awareness march. NP: Gaston Gazette.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillespie, M., Hearn, V., & Silverman, R. A. (1998). Suicide following homicide in Canada. Homicide Studies, 2, 46–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillespie, L. K., Richards, T. N., & Givens, E. M. (2013). Framing intimate partner victimization: why the media’s spin matters in newspaper coverage of femicide. Violence Against Women, 19(2), 222–244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gould, M., Jamieson, P., & Romer, D. (2003). Media contagion and suicide among the young. American Behavioral Scientist, 46, 1269–1284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, D. W., & Voigt, L. (2007). Homicide followed by suicide: an integrated theoretical perspective. Homicide Studies, 11(4), 295–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hess, C. (2002). Four murder-suicides, one year. The Free Press, p. A1.

  • Hodges, C. (2002). 911 Call brought police to house – Lexington police say someone called from the [perpetrators/victim’s] home on November 3 and hung up. News and Record, p. B1.

  • Jamieson, P., Jamieson, K. H., & Romer, D. (2003). The responsible reporting of suicide in print journalism. American Behavioral Scientist, 46, 1643–1660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenna, A. (2003). Fishing lake site of murder-suicide. NP: Shelby-Star.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koziol-McLain, J., Webster, D., McFarlane, J., Block, C. R., Ulrich, Y., Glass, N., & Campbell, J. C. (2006). Risk factors for femicide-suicide in abusive relationships: results from a multisite case control study. Violence and Victims, 21(1), 3–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kwan, C. M., Chun, K. M., & Chesla, C. A. (2011). Cultural norms shaping research group interviews with Chinese Immigrants. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 2(2), 115–127.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liem, M. (2010). Homicide followed by suicide: a review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15, 153–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liem, M., Postulart, M., & Niuewbeerta, P. (2009). Homicide-suicide in the Netherlands: an epidemiology. Homicide Studies, 13, 99–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J., Hill, H. A., Black, M. L., Crosby, A. E., Karch, D. L., Barnes, J. D., & Lubell, K. M. (2008). Characteristics of perpetrators in homicide-followed-by-suicide incidents: National Violent Death Reporting System—17 US state, 2003–2005. American Journal of Epidemiology, 168, 1056–1064.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manware, M., & Lacour, G. (2007). Killings spark calls to shelter – Publicity surrounding deaths prompts callers to seek help, official says. The Charlotte Observer, p. 1B.

  • Manware, M., & Paytner, M. (2004). Shooter was jobless, depressed, relative says – 3 dead, 2 wounded in Mecklenburg. The Charlotte Observer, p. 1A.

  • Marzuk, P. M., Tardiff, K., & Hirsch, C. S. (1992). The epidemiology of murder-suicide. Journal of the American Medical Association, 267, 3179–3183.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, T., & Curliss, J. A. (2003). Bodies found in northern Wake. The News & Observer, p. B1.

  • McDonald, T., & Johnson, P. (2003). Killing stuns community college. The News & Observer, p. B1.

  • Meyers, M. (1994). News of battering. Journal of Communications, 44(2), 47–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyers, M. (1997). News coverage of violence against women: Endangering blame. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. F. (2002). Woman dies of gunshot wound – Police: husband shot 21-year-old Saturday, then killed himself. The Charlotte Observer, p. 3B.

  • Moracco, K. E., Runyan, C. W., & Butts, J. (1998). Femicide in North Carolina. Homicide Studies, 2, 422–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, E., Runyon, C. W., Moracco, K. E., & Butts, J. (1998). Partner homicide-suicide involving female homicide victims: a population-based study in North Carolina, 1988–1992. Violence and Victims, 13(2), 91–106.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muhr, T. (2004). Atlas.ti 5.0 software. Berlin: Scientific Software Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Carroll, P. W., Potter, L. B., Aronowitz, E., Linskey, D., Moscicki, E., Buckingham, J., et al. (1994). Suicide contagion and the reporting of suicide: Recommendations from a national workshop. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, T. N., Gillespie, L. K., & Smith, M. D. (2011). Exploring news coverage of femicide: does reporting the news add insult to injury? Feminist Criminology, 6, 178–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, T. N., Gillespie, L. K., & Smith, M. D. (2014). An examination of the media portrayal of femicide-suicides: an exploratory frame analysis. Feminist Criminology, 9(1), 24–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenbaum, M. (1990). The role of depression in couples involved in murder-suicide and homicide. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147(8), 1036–1039.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, C., Anastario, M., & DaCunha, A. (2006). Changing coverage of domestic violence murders: a longitudinal experiment in participatory communication. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 209–228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, S. (2003). Slaying victim refused to hide from husband. Morning Star, pp. 1B, 2B.

  • Suicide Prevention Resource Center [SPRC]. (2007). Recommendations for reporting on suicide. Retrieved from http://reportingonsuicide.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/Recommendations14.pdf.

  • Taylor, R. (2009). Slain and slandered: A content analysis of the portrayal of femicide in the news. Homicide Studies, 13, 21–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Womer, K. (2008). The dynamics of murder-suicide in domestic situations. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 8, 274–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Websdale, N. (2003). Reviewing domestic violence deaths. NIJ Journal, 250, 26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson-Youngquist, S., & Wilson, P. (2002). Murder-suicide suspected in death of four- Family was found dead in house in Lexington. Winston-Salem Journal, p. A1.

  • Wootson, C. L., & Manware, M. (2007). Couple found dead in home - Family recalls fear Police: Murder-suicide is 3rd domestic-abuse killing in last 2 weeks. The Charlotte Observer, p. 1B.

  • Writers, S. (2002). Two shot to death near beach town. The News & Observer, p. B4.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tara N. Richards.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Femicide-Suicide Coding Sheet (from Suicide Reporting Guidelines)

  1. 1.

    The femicide-suicide (FS) is portrayed as unexplainable OR the result of a single problem (ex. loss of a job, depression, etc.)? FSUE

  2. 2.

    What terminology is used to describe the perpetrator and victim?

    • Male perp/female victim MPFV

    • Ambiguous on who is the victim/perp AVP

  3. 3.

    Does the FS article mitigate the blame for the femicide-suicide by focusing on the suicide completer’s positive characteristics?

    • Mitigates blame by focusing on positive perp characteristics

    • (good father, such a good man, great guy, etc.) MB

    • Blaming language towards perp BP

    • Blaming language towards victim BV

    • Neutral towards perp/vic NP

  4. 4.

    FS articles should avoid sensationalized titles or headlines

    • Sensationalized title? ST

    • Neutral/factual title? NT

  5. 5.

    FS articles should avoid the inclusion of pictures of the grieving family, crime scene, memorials, or funeral.

    • Victim pic VP

    • Perp pic PP

    • Other pic (list type in excel: crime scene, memorial, DV march, etc.) OP

  6. 6.

    FS articles should use the story to inform readers about the causes, warning signs, and trends/rates of domestic violence and to dispel myths.

    • Includes DV trends, statistics, etc. DVT

  7. 7.

    FS articles should include quotes from a DV expert concerning causes, intervention, prevention, and treatment options

    • Includes DV expert quote DVQ

    • Includes Suicide expert quote SQ

  8. 8.

    FS articles should include local/national domestic violence resources where readers can find information, prevention/intervention, and treatment options

    • Includes DV resources such as phone numbers, shelter locations, etc. DVR

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Richards, T.N., Gillespie, L.K. & Givens, E.M. Reporting Femicide-Suicide in the News: The Current Utilization of Suicide Reporting Guidelines and Recommendations for the Future. J Fam Viol 29, 453–463 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9590-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9590-9

Keywords

Navigation