News

Sadly, as Orlando was ripped by the tragedy of the shootings downtown, another woman lost her life at the hands of her batterer on Friday November 6. 

What is really stunning this year is not the death toll in Orange County which has now reached 21, and the number of batterers in our community who have killed themselves rises.  Of those having died, 7 were batterers who killed themselves after killing or attempting to kill their victim (one was killed by LEO).  When we assess the likelihood that a batterer will kill, suicidal ideation or threats of suicide are at the top of the list.  In fact, researchers working with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence site the following as the leading indicators of potential homicide in a domestic violence case:   

 1.  Threats of homicide or suicide.

The batterer who has threatened to kill himself, his partner, the children or her relatives must be considered extremely dangerous.

2. Fantasies of homicide or suicide.

The more the batterer has developed a fantasy about who, how, when, and/or where to kill, the more dangerous he may be. The batterer who has previously acted out part of a homicide or suicide fantasy may be invested in killing as a viable "solution" to his problems. As in suicide assessment, the more detailed the plan and the more available the method, the greater the risk.

3. Weapons.

Where a batterer possesses weapons and has used them or has threatened to use them in the past in his assaults on the battered woman, the children or himself, his access to those weapons increases his potential for lethal assault. The use of guns is a strong predictor of homicide.  If a batterer has a history of arson or the threat of arson, fire should be considered a weapon.

4. "Ownership" of the battered partner.

The batterer who says "Death before Divorce!" or "You belong to me and will never belong to another!" may be stating his fundamental belief that the woman has no right to life separate from him. A batterer who believes he is absolutely entitled to his female partner, her services, her obedience and her loyalty, no matter what, is likely to be life-endangering.

5. Centrality of the partner.

A man who idolizes his female partner, or who depends heavily on her to organize and sustain his life, or who has isolated himself from all other community, may retaliate against a partner who decides to end the relationship. He rationalizes that her "betrayal" justifies his lethal retaliation.

6. Separation Violence.

When a batterer believes that he is about to lose his partner, if he can't envision life without her or if the separation causes him great despair or rage, he may choose to kill.

7. Depression.

Where a batterer has been acutely depressed and sees little hope for moving beyond the depression, he may be a candidate for homicide and suicide. Research shows that many men who are hospitalized for depression have homicidal fantasies directed at family members.

8. Access to the battered woman and/or to family members.

If the batterer cannot find her, he cannot kill her. If he does not have access to the children, he cannot use them as a means of access to the battered woman. Careful safety planning and police assistance are required for those times when contact is required, e.g. court appearances and custody exchanges.

9. Repeated outreach to law enforcement.

Partner or spousal homicide almost always occurs in a context of historical violence. Prior calls to the police indicate elevated risk of life-threatening conduct. The more calls, the greater the potential danger.

10. Escalation of batterer risk.

A less obvious indicator of increasing danger may be the sharp escalation of personal risk undertaken by a batterer; when a batterer begins to act without regard to the legal or social consequences that previously constrained his violence, chances of lethal assault increase significantly.

11. Hostage-taking.

A hostage-taker is at high risk of inflicting homicide. Between 75% and 90% of all hostage takings in the US are related to domestic violence situations.

If an intervention worker concludes that a batterer is likely to kill or commit life-endangering violence, extraordinary measures should be taken to protect the victim and her children.

It is critical that we pass this along.  In this era of unprecedented economic challenges, those in relationships with signs of power and control must be aware of the warning signs before it is too late.

http://www.mincava.umn.edu/documents/hart/assessing/assessing.pdf