Understanding the Process of Intimate Partner Homicide | HMA

Understanding the Process of Intimate Partner Homicide

 

Intimate Partner Femicide: Using Foucauldian Analysis to Track an Eight-Stage Progression to Homicide (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1077801220935195) – Jane Monckton Smith, 2020

 

Domestic, family, and sexualized violence (DFSV) is a patterned behaviour familiar to those working in intervention. Understanding these patterns allows us to:

  1. Map factors contributing to DFSV.
  2. Identify transition and disruption points.
  3. Intervene more effectively to ensure safety for those at risk.

 

Risk assessment is a dynamic and ongoing process for those engaged with individuals harmed by DFSV. Monckton Smith’s contribution is critical as it connects coercive control with lethality research, bridging gaps in our understanding by integrating themes of pattern/progression, coercion strategies, and behavioural indicators. Below are the key stages she identifies in the progression towards lethality:

 

Stage 1: Pre-relationship

Men who murder their intimate partners often have a history of controlling behaviours, domestic abuse, or stalking, sometimes evidenced by criminal or arrest records. Those who are harmed are often aware of this history but may not always believe reports from former partners. Women are frequently shamed and blamed for not leaving abusive men. This history situates the problem of abuse within the user of violence, highlighting the importance of understanding their past relationships involving DFSV.

 

Stage 2: Early Relationship

Relationships often begin with the man being attentive but quickly progress to possessiveness and control. This stage, marked by fast-track commitment (e.g., moving in together, pregnancy, marriage), isolates the victim under the guise of romantic love. Jealousy and possessiveness are normalized, and once commitment is given, it is seen as irrevocable.

 

Stage 3: Relationship

High-risk behaviours emerge once commitment is confirmed, with stalking, monitoring, and paranoia about infidelity becoming common. Victims often follow routines to avoid conflict, justifying their actions as “not worth the trouble.” Pressure to engage in sexual behaviour, though often unrecognized as abuse, is prevalent and rooted in gendered rights and responsibilities.

 

Stage 4: Trigger/s

Men often kill their partners in response to real or perceived threats of separation or withdrawal of commitment. Attempts to leave are met with significant resistance, and violence is justified by a belief that women should not have the power to end relationships. The notion that “If I can’t have you, no one can” signals significant risk.

 

Stage 5: Escalation

Escalation involves an increase in the frequency, severity, or variety of abusive behaviours as men attempt to reestablish control. This can include stalking, threats, and violence. Friends and family may overlook or justify these behaviours, creating a passive solidarity that enables the user of DFSV.

 

Stage 6: A Change in Thinking/Decision

At this stage, the user of DFSV may consider homicide as a response to an irretrievable loss of control or status. Planning for homicide, often detailed and premeditated, can be triggered by perceived injustices or the belief that there is no other resolution.

 

Stage 7: Planning

Evidence of planning, such as written plans, internet searches, and attempts to isolate the victim, is often discovered after the homicide. This stage includes creating opportunities for the killing and organising personal affairs, indicating a considered decision to kill.

 

Stage 8: Homicide

The final stage involves the homicide itself, often marked by extreme violence and various circumstances (e.g., public or private settings, involvement of children, attempts to cover up). Despite diverse motives, users of DFSV typically follow the preceding stages.

 

Interventions at any stage can be qualitatively different but may be effective in stopping the progression. Where Stages 1-2 are positively identified, there is a much higher likelihood that attempts at separation, should the relationship continue, will be met with significant resistance. It is important to note that a relationship can be established in the mind of the perpetrator through as little as one date or one sexual coupling, and this is supported in stalking research.

Where there is progression through Stage 3, irrespective of the length of that stage, there is a much higher likelihood that separation will be very difficult or even dangerous. Travel through Stages 4 and 5 is the most unambiguous indication of the increased potential for homicide. Travel through Stages 6-8 may be very rapid, where there has been routine and serious domestic violence. In most cases, travel through Stages 6-8 takes longer, often around 1-2 months, and thus interventions may be useful. Finally, the sequence and coercive control give opportunities to think about possible interventions at each and every stage. It also has value in identifying high-threat individuals and where any relationship may be in the journey.

Published on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024, under Family violence

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