Brief CommunicationChildren in danger of domestic homicide
Section snippets
Children and domestic homicide
Domestic violence at its extreme results in domestic homicide. In the US approximately 1,800 adults are killed annually as a result of domestic homicide (Adams, 2007). Canadian rates indicated approximately 132 cases of domestic homicide in 2007 (Statistics Canada, 2009). Currently, there are no studies that have calculated the prevalence of children affected by domestic homicide; however some researchers estimate that approximately 3,300 children lose a parent(s) to domestic homicide every
Method
Current reports from 16 US DVDRCs and 1 Canadian DVDRC were gathered from committee websites. These reports and committees were chosen based on the availability of published data. Reports were gathered from DVDRCs in the following locations (please note that the reports year is identified in brackets): Contra, California (2005), Kern, California (2006), San Diego, California (2006), Santa Clara, California (2006), Cuyahoga, Ohio (2007), Delaware (2007), Florida (2007), Georgia (2008), Maine
Results
The 17 DVDRC reports combined documented 1,006 incidents of domestic homicide totaling 1,397 deaths. Of these 1,397 deaths, a total of 95 children were killed. Twelve of the 17 reports, totaling 920 incidences, indicated that 273 children were present during the homicide and 199 children witnessed the incident. Six reports, representing 164 incidences, acknowledged that a total of 112 children lost at least 1 parent as a result of homicide. Specific results of each DVDRC report are summarized
Discussion
Children are harmed by exposure to domestic violence and domestic homicide. In fact, some children may be killed in the context of domestic violence. The data identified within this brief communication indicates that many children are exposed to, and therefore affected by, domestic homicide. Furthermore, the data illustrates that children are also killed during domestic homicide incidents. From a review of 17 jurisdictions in the US and Canada, 112 children lost at least 1 parent as a result of
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Cited by (54)
Barriers to police addressing risk to children exposed to domestic violence
2020, Child Abuse and NeglectCitation Excerpt :Police officers, however, appear to be less likely than other professionals working cases of DV and child maltreatment to identify and report signs of abuse (Spath, 2003). Contrary to the recommendations of many DV death review committees across North America (Hamilton et al., 2013; Jaffe, Campbell, Hamilton, & Juodis, 2012), police do not consistently take advantage of opportunities for risk assessment and risk management. Findings from a nationally representative sample of police officers in the United States suggest that best practices in law enforcement—best practices such as assessing whether a child exposed to DV needs services—are inconsistently applied (Hamby, Finkelhor, & Turner, 2015).
Provision of specialized services for children exposed to domestic violence: Barriers encountered in Violence Against Women (VAW) services
2020, Children and Youth Services ReviewCitation Excerpt :These children may not be the perpetrator’s primary target in these cases. These child homicides often occur as a result of the perpetrator’s motive for revenge or retaliation, particularly during circumstances of separation from the adult victim (Dawson, 2015; Jaffe, Campbell, Hamilton, & Juodis, 2012). The extent of the problem is reflected in the fact that one in 12 victims of domestic homicide in Canada are children (Dawson et al., 2018).
Child homicides in the context of domestic violence: when the plight of children is overlooked
2020, Preventing Domestic Homicides: Lessons Learned from TragediesRemembering the forgotten victims: Child-Related themes in domestic violence fatality reviews
2019, Child Abuse and NeglectCitation Excerpt :Aside from the direct risk of homicide faced by children, they can also suffer the loss of one or both parents (as a result of the homicide, incarceration, and/or suicide) and face negative repercussions associated with exposure to the violence (Alisic et al., 2017; Jaffe, Campbell, Hamilton, & Juodis, 2012; Jaffe, Campbell, Reif, Fairbairn, & David, 2017; Jenney & Alaggia, 2018). Children can be directly impacted by the violence through exposure to violent acts or observing its aftermath, through intervening, or being abused as a result of the violence that is taking place around them (Hester, 2007; Jaffe et al., 2012). The exposure and presence of children at the scene of the crime increases their risk of suffering extreme trauma in these circumstances, with a heightened risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Eth & Pynoos, 1994; Georgia Statewide Commission on Family Violence, 2015; Jaffe et al., 2012; Lenferink et al., 2017; Lewandowski, McFarlane, Campbell, Gary, & Barenski, 2004; Mertin, 2019).
Coparenting and intimate partner violence
2024, Family Court Review