When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Connecticut

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Connecticut was 1.31 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 32nd highest in the United States

Age

Five female homicide victims (23 percent) were less than 18 years old, and one victim was 65 years of age or older.

Race

Eighteen female murder victims were white and four were black.

Most Common Weapons

More than four out of 10 female homicide victims (nine victims or 41 percent) were shot and killed with guns. More than half of these gun victims (five victims or 56 percent) were killed with handguns. There were four females killed by bodily force and three females killed with knives or other cutting instruments. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

All but one female victim (21 victims or 95 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only one female victim was killed by a stranger. Of victims who knew their offenders, more than half (12 victims or 57 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 12 female intimates murdered, 58 percent (seven victims) were killed with guns; 57 percent of these gun victims (four victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (17 cases), 88 percent (15 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, one-third (five cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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