When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Arkansas

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Arkansas was 2.08 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 12th highest in the United States

Age

Four female homicide victims (15 percent) were less than 18 years old, and seven victims (26 percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

Nineteen female murder victims were white and eight were black.

Most Common Weapons

In cases in which the weapon used in the homicide could be identified (25 cases), more than half of all female homicide victims (14 victims or 56 percent) were shot and killed with guns. More than seven out of 10 gun victims (10 victims or 71 percent) were killed with handguns. There were five females killed by bodily force and three females killed with blunt objects. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

All but one female victim (26 victims or 96 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only one victim was killed by a stranger. Of victims who knew their offenders, half (13 victims or 50 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 13 female intimates murdered, all but one (12 victims or 92 percent) were killed with guns; 75 percent of these gun victims (nine victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (22 cases), 64 percent (14 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 57 percent (eight cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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