Early Models for Contemporary Thought on Domestic Violence and Women Who Kill Their Mates: A Review of the Literature from 1895 to 1970

Women who kill abusive partners have become the focus of new social policy and research since 1970. A review of the early literature on women and domestic homicide from 1895 to 1970 shows that, while a specific focus on female homicide resulting from abuse was lacking, a rich heritage of ideas about homicidal women developed during this period. This heritage inevitably shaped the ways in which female offenders in general were viewed and presaged our most recent insights. A conceptual framework for recognizing the etiological themes which emerged is presented.