A recent report by the Domestic Violence Death Review Team (DVDRT) in Australia has revealed a troubling spike in domestic violence homicides across New South Wales with men being significantly over-represented as perpetrators. The report also reveals a worrying rise in stalking incidents before a woman’s murder, particularly after separation from a partner.
Gender Disparities in Domestic Violence Homicides
According to ABC news, the DVDRT’s report examined 550 domestic violence homicides (including both adults and children) in NSW between 2000 and 2022. The analysis showed that 244 women were killed by an intimate male partner, while 54 homicides involved a woman killing their male partner. The remainder of the domestic violence homicides involved a parent killing their child or a relative killing another family member.
Notably, men who killed their female intimate partner were almost always the domestic violence abuser in the relationship. In contrast, women who killed men were almost always the victim of their partner’s violence, acting in self-defense after enduring prolonged abuse.
“This report tells us that when women kill men, it’s almost always after they have experienced violence and have been the person most in need of protection over lengthy periods of time,” Domestic Violence NSW Deputy CEO Elise Phillips said [via ABC News]. “We also see that women are experiencing homelessness and are often having to choose between remaining in an abusive relationship or being homeless.”
Leaving is the Most Dangerous Time for Women
The report highlighted a fact that has been known for some time – leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a woman.
Nearly two-thirds of the 244 domestic violence-related homicides, where a man killed his female intimate partner, took place during or following a separation, with the relationship having either recently ended or one or both individuals expressing the intent to separate.
According to the report, in the three-month period following separation, many perpetrators used stalking as a means to exert control and instill fear in their victims.
Stalking: A Growing Precursor to Murder
Jane Monckton Smith, Professor of Public Protection at the University of Gloucestershire, has long highlighted that stalking is a clear sign of risk escalation and is almost always a precursor in cases of domestic abuse homicide.
In her book, In Control: Dangerous Relationships and How The End in Murder, she outlines an eight-stage ‘homicide timeline’. The fifth stage involves escalating control or the advent of stalking, which may be followed by a change of focus, planning, and finally homicide and/or suicide. “Stalking is always a concerning behaviour, and in all situations indicates that fixated and obsessive patterns are present,” explains Ms Monkton Smith (p. 147).
The DVDRT report found that stalking was a factor in almost three-quarters of the cases where a woman was murdered after separating from her partner. This marks a significant increase from previous reports, where stalking was present in about half of such cases.
“The significant increase in the prevalence of post-separation stalking may reflect the greater availability of surveillance tactics and new technologies that are readily accessible by abusers,” the report states. They use this to “extend their power and control and deprive victims of privacy, autonomy and a sense of safety.”
The Need for Continued Investment in Women’s Safety
The findings of the DVDRT report reinforce the need for more robust protective measures for women who have separated or intend to separate from their abusive partners. It also highlights the importance of ensuring consistent approaches to risk assessment which adequately recognize the heightened risk around separation and stalking.
Despite the progress made in recent years, the rise in domestic violence homicides and the increasing use of stalking as a control tactic demonstrate that much work remains to be done. There is an urgent need for continued investment in women’s safety across NSW.
Featured image: Abused women need more protection. Source: Diego Cervo / Adobe Stock.
