The cycle of violence and abuse in women who kill an intimate male partner : a biographical profile

Numerous women experience domestic violence and abuse on a daily basis, and some retaliate and kill their intimate male partners. Our aims in this study were (1) to explore the biographical profile of women who have killed their intimate male partners, and (2) to compare women who used a third party in the murders with those women who did not. Biographical questionnaires were completed by 60 women incarcerated in five prisons in South Africa. The results suggest that various biographical factors may influence a woman's decision to murder her partner. This study adds to the body of knowledge on intimate partner violence in the South African context, and it is hoped that it will lead to early identification programmes of women at risk of killing their intimate male partners.