Women Who Kill

This research study explores the response of the criminal justice system to women who kill abusive men. Through in-depth interviews with some key practitioners, and most crucially with women themselves, we examine the extent to which the law itself, and the way the law is applied, prevent women accessing justice.

Official statistics show that women are more likely to be killed by men who have a history of abusing them, whereas men are rarely killed by intimate partners.

According to official statistics;

• 38% of female victims of homicide were killed by a partner or ex-partner compared with 4% of male victims;
• The most recent Femicide Census report which collects data on women who have been killed by men in the UK, found that a history of previous abuse to the victim was evident in 59% (n=611) of the 1,042 femicides committed by an intimate partner or relative;
• In contrast, this research shows that women who kill their partners do so in the context of being subjected to abuse from the men they kill. In 77% (n=71) of the cases included in this research, there is evidence to suggest that women had experienced violence or abuse from the deceased.

To read more here are the executive summary and the full research reports available to download.

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