Intimate femicide-suicide in South Africa : the epidemiology of male suicide following the killing of an intimate partner

Abstract

The few studies on intimate femicide-suicide have mainly been conducted in developed countries. These studies have found that a disproportionate number of male partners commit suicide after killing their female partner. However, not much is known about intimate femicide-suicide in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to describe: the incidence and patterns of intimate femicide-suicide in South Africa and to compare the factors which distinguish intimate femicide-suicide from cases in which the perpetrator does not commit suicide. The study was designed as a retrospective national mortuary based study of all female homicides where the victim was aged 14 years and older for the year 1999. Data was collected from a stratified cluster sample of 25 mortuaries in South Africa. National incidence rates and factors associated with perpetrator suicide were derived by taking into account the stratification and weighting of mortuaries. This study found that 19.4% of intimate femicide perpetrators also commit suicide within a week of the murder. The estimated rates for intimate femicide-suicide were 1.7/100 000 women 14 years and older and 2.1/100 000 males 14 years and older. A logistic regression analysis to compare the factors which distinguish intimate femicide-suicide from cases in which the perpetrator does not commit suicide shows that perpetrator suicide were associated with: the perpetrator being of White race; employed as a professional or white collar worker; and owing a legal gun. The study findings have shown that South Africa has the highest reported rate for intimate femicide-suicide in the world. This poses an important public health problem. Unraveling the factors associated with perpetrator suicide after killing an intimate partner is complex. However, legal gun ownership plays a significant role in such killings. It is therefore imperative that access to guns be controlled and monitored.