A Comprehensive Analysis of Factors Associated with Intimate Partner Femicide: A Systematic Review

Abstract

There has been a growing concern about violence against women by intimate partners due to its incidence and severity. This type of violence is a severe problem that has taken the lives of thousands of women worldwide and is expected to continue in the future. A limited amount of research exclusively considers factors related only to these women’s deaths. Most focus on deaths of both men and women in an intimate partnership and do not provide precise results on the phenomenon under study. The necessity for an actual synthesis of factors linked solely to women’s deaths in heterosexual relationships is key to a comprehensive knowledge of that case. This could assist in identifying high-risk cases by professionals involving an interdisciplinary approach. The study’s objective is to systematically review the factors associated with these deaths. Twenty-four studies found inclusion criteria extracted from seven databases (Dialnet, Web of Science, Pubmed, Criminal Justice, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, Academic Search Ultimate, and APA Psyarticles). The review was carried out under the PRISMA guidelines’ standards. The studies’ quality assessment complies with the MMAT guidelines. Findings revealed that there are specific factors of the aggressor, victim, partner’s relationship, and environment associated with women’s deaths. The results have implications for predicting and preventing women’s deaths, providing scientific knowledge applied to develop public action programs, guidelines, and reforms.