Dr. McFarlane is Endowed Parry Chair in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University.
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Article
Intimate partner stalking and femicide: urgent implications for women's safety†
Article first published online: 17 APR 2002
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.477
Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Issue
1099-0798/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=27cb3cb3b3e789b2519ed5b84bdb198bf5ddfb33 "Behavioral Sciences & the Law")
Behavioral Sciences & the Law
Special Issue: Current Directions
Volume 20, Issue 1-2, pages 51–68, January - April 2002
Additional Information
How to Cite
McFarlane, J., Campbell, J. C. and Watson, K. (2002), Intimate partner stalking and femicide: urgent implications for women's safety. Behav. Sci. Law, 20: 51–68. doi: 10.1002/bsl.477
- †
The research reported in this manuscript is supported by CDC/NIJ/NIDA/NIMH, RO1 DA/AA11156. Our thanks to the following agencies and people for unflagging support in the completion of this research: Houston Police Department, Homicide Division, especially Captain Richard Holland and Lts. Allen Harris and Steve Jett; Family Criminal Law Division of the Harris County District Attorney's Office, especially Chief Prosecutor Cindy Merrill and Social Worker Jennifer Varela; Baltimore City Homicide Department, especially Lt. William Robbins, and Cathleen Barenski from the Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing; Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the New York City Department of Health, especially Dr. Charles Hirsh, Chief Medical Examiner, and David Schomburg; Los Angeles Police Department, especially Detective Tim Williams and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department, especially Lt. Frank Merriman; Wichita Kansas Police Department, especially Captain Paul W. Dotson and Lt. Kenneth F. Landwehr; Kansas City Kansas Police Department and the Office of the District Attorney, especially Nick Tomasic, District Attorney, and the Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Ann Slattery, Domestic Violence Advocate Patty Dill; Kansas City Missouri Police Department, especially Captain Joseph Chapman, Captain Cheri Reid, and the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Claire McCaskil and Prosecuting Attorney Teresa E. Crayon, Domestic Violence Advocate Doris Canon; King County Prosecutor's Office, especially District Attorney Norm Maleng, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robin Fox, Victim Advocate Mary A. Kirchner, Chief Jackson Beard, Captain Carol Cummings, Sergeant Jim Graddon; Nancy Cherry, Director of Nursing Seattle-King County Department of Public Health and Mr. Jon Nakagawara, Administrative Assistant Medical Examiner Division. We also thank Research Assistants Pam Willson and Christian Giangreco. Finally, a special thanks is extended to the proxy informants and survivors of attempted femicide who shared their experiences.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 17 APR 2002
- Article first published online: 17 APR 2002
Funded by
- CDC/NIJ/NIDA/NIMH. Grant Number: RO1 DA/AA11156
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Abstract
This study describes the type and extent of intimate partner stalking and threatening behaviors that occurred within 12 months prior to a major assault or attempted or actual partner femicide and specifies which behaviors were associated with an increased risk of potential or actual lethality. The design was a ten-city case–control study of 821 women: 384 abuse victims and 437 attempted or actual femicide informants. Data were derived using a 16-item inventory. Logistic regressions, with adjustments for demographic variables, were used to identify the significant perpetrator behaviors associated with attempted/actual femicide. Women who reported the perpetrator followed or spied on them were more than twice as likely to become attempted/actual femicide victims. Threats by the perpetrator to harm the children if the woman left or did not return to the relationship place the woman at a ninefold increase in the risk of attempted/actual femicide. Conclusions are that certain stalking and threatening behaviors are strong risk factors for lethality, and women must be so advised. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.