Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is a gendered phenomenon, with women comprising the majority of victims. However, about one in five victims are men, and little is known about their characteristics or the circumstances of their deaths. This study addresses this gap by examining male victims of IPH in Canada between 1991 and 2015, using Statistics Canada’s Homicide Survey. Findings reveal clear consistencies between male victims of IPH and female perpetrators of IPH. Knives and other close-contact weapons dominate: 64.5% of male victims were killed with knives, and 73.1% of female perpetrators relied on stabbing. Arguments were the leading motive for both groups (61.5% of male victim cases; 69.7% of female-perpetrated cases), suggesting conflict escalation rather than self-defense or jealousy as the main trigger. Substance use was widespread: 79.3% of male victims were intoxicated, and 80.3% of female perpetrators had consumed alcohol or drugs. Criminal history was also common, with 63.9% of male victims and 53.3% of female perpetrators having prior convictions. Indigenous victims and perpetrators were more frequently represented than in the general population, indicating higher chances of victimization within this group. These findings underscore the need for theories, policies, and services that extend beyond narrow gendered or self-defense frameworks. Prevention must account for male victimization and the dynamics of female-perpetrated IPH, particularly the roles of substance use, conflict escalation, and the elevated risks faced by Indigenous populations.

Authors:
Alexandra Lysova, Simon Fraser University, Canada

About the Presenter(s)
Alexandra Lysova, Ph.D., is a Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver/Burnaby, Canada.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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