Trends in rates and characteristics of intimate partner homicides between 1990 and 2013

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

“…Ganpat, ; von Hofer, ). While Caman et al () found alcohol to be decreasingly relevant over time in the context of male‐perpetrated IPH, an association was found.…”

“…An evaluation of IPVAW victim support in Sweden, considering the women's psychosocial health and repeated exposure to violence, shows positive but modest effects (Karolinska Institutet/FORUM, ). Other studies suggest that IPVAW victim support services are associated with a decline of female‐perpetrated, but not male‐perpetrated, IPHs (Caman et al, ). A suggested explanation for this points to victim support services creating increased opportunities for women to leave abusive relationships, aside from self‐defense through homicide, while men's homicidal behaviour towards female partners may remain the same regardless of the resources available for IPVAW survivors (Caman et al, ).…”

“…Similarly to other high‐income countries (Caman, Howner, Kristiansson, & Sturup, ; Liem et al, ), in 2003–2006 29% of homicides in Sweden (by victim) were IPHs (Ganpat, ). Here, 57% of female victims were killed by intimate partners (Caman, Kristiansson, Granath, & Sturup, ), while 26% of homicides committed by men were IPHs (Ganpat, ).…”

“…Previous indications that IPH perpetrators are more ‘conventional’ than perpetrators of other violent crimes (Kivivuori & Lehti, ) are thus confirmed in a Swedish context. Moreover, over time, male IPH perpetrators have progressively become more likely to be employed, less likely to be affected by alcohol, and thus increasingly rather than decreasingly ‘conventional’ (Caman et al, ).…”

“…Male‐perpetrated IPH has, over time, gradually become less likely to be preceded by known IPVAW (Caman et al, ). Female IPH victims were meanwhile less likely to have a criminal history than victims of non‐IPH (Caman et al, ).…”