When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Illinois

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Illinois was 0.89 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 41st highest in the United States

Age

Ten female homicide victims (19 percent) were less than 18 years old, and four victims (seven percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

Thirty-eight female murder victims were black, 15 were white, and one was American Indian or Alaskan native.

Most Common Weapons

In cases in which the weapon used in the homicide could be identified (51 cases), nearly half of all female homicide victims (25 victims or 49 percent) were shot and killed with guns. More than nine out of 10 gun victims (24 victims or 96 percent) were killed with handguns. There were 12 females killed by bodily force, nine females killed with knives or other cutting instruments, and four females killed by strangulation. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

In cases in which the relationship between the victim and the offender could be identified (51 cases), more than eight out of 10 female victims (42 victims or 82 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only nine female victims (18 percent) were killed by strangers. Of victims who knew their offenders, half (21 victims or 50 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 21 female intimates murdered, 38 percent (eight victims) were killed with guns; 88 percent of these gun victims (seven victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (53 cases), 75 percent (40 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 65 percent (26 cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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