A general strain theory of intimate partner homicide

Abstract

Men and women who kill an intimate partner experience qualitatively different situations and emotions in the months and weeks preceding the homicide event. Theoretical explanations of intimate partner homicide are either gender-specific or gender-neutral, and, as such, fail to take these gender differences into account. This article extends current theory by presenting a general strain theory of intimate partner homicide. General strain theory suggests that men and women who kill an intimate partner experience different types of strain and emotions, and that homicide occurs in response to these experiences. This application not only affords gender-sensitivity, but also incorporates negative emotions (often neglected by other theory-building), explains coping mechanisms, and combines proximal and distal etiological factors.

Towards understanding the Nordic paradox: A review of qualitative interview studies on intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) in Sweden

“…Ambiguities and tensions between norms of femininity and masculinity in Nordic countries can be related to demands for gender equality, which can in turn may provoke IPVAW, as suggested by the backlash hypothesis forwarded with regard to international (Eriksson & Mazerolle, 2013) and Nordic (Bjelland, 2014;Caman, Kristiansson, Granath, & Sturup, 2017; Johnsson-Latham, 2014) contexts. Professionals working with IPVAW perpetrators speak along these lines, while observing that societal messages about desired male behavior are indeed ambiguous and that tensions may occur when traditional gender norms are thrown into confusion due to demands for equality (Edin et al, 2008).…”

Taxonomía de los Homicidios de Mujeres en las Relaciones de Pareja

“…En contraste con las cifras de denuncias por VCP, el «homicidio de mujeres en las relaciones de pareja heterosexuales» (HCP) es un fenómeno de baja prevalencia (Eriksson y Mazerolle, 2013). Estos datos de pequeña magnitud estadística son muy volátiles, de modo que cualquier alteración al alza sobresale en porcentajes y suele interpretarse como un fracaso de las instituciones.…”

The Nordic Paradox and intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) in Sweden: A background overview

“…employment and possibilities for divorce) decrease IPVAW, and through the ameliorative hypothesis, which stipulates that increased gender equality decreases IPVAW (Eriksson & Mazerolle, ). In contrast, the co‐existence of relative gender equality and IPVAW has largely been explicated through backlash hypotheses (Eriksson & Mazerolle, ), suggesting that IPVAW can be associated with retaliation effects due to men's perceived loss of control over women (Caman et al, ; Stubberud et al, ).…”

“…In alignment with research pointing to high rates of IPVAW in societies with pronounced gender inequality (Bolis & Hughes, 2015), IPVAW has been explained through the exposure-reduction theory (Dugan, Nagin, & Rosenfeld, 1999), which suggests that the amount of time partners spent together and the factors reducing emotional and financial dependence between them (e.g. employment and possibilities for divorce) decrease IPVAW, and through the ameliorative hypothesis, which stipulates that increased gender equality decreases IPVAW (Eriksson & Mazerolle, 2013). In contrast, the co-existence of relative gender equality and IPVAW has largely been explicated through backlash hypotheses (Eriksson & Mazerolle, 2013), suggesting that IPVAW can be associated with retaliation effects due to men's perceived loss of control over women Stubberud et al, 2018).…”