Lethal Intimate Partner Violence: An Interactional Perspective on Women’s Perceptions of Lethal Incidents

Abstract

Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is the only lethal violence in which women are the principal victims. This research reports on an investigation of possible differences between dynamics of lethal and nonlethal intimate partner violence (IPV). A representative sample of 157 help-seeking female victims of IPV in Norway was interviewed. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that women who perceived they had been subjected to lethal IPV were different from those who had not perceived the IPV as lethal concerning interactional dimensions of IPV and in their help-seeking responses. There was no difference related to sociodemographic factors. Because some IPV help-seeking women may be at a heightened risk for lethal violence, it is imperative that their efforts to seek assistance are responded to with care and structured risk assessment.