When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Oregon

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Oregon was 1.36 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 31st highest in the United States

Age

Five victims (23 percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

Eighteen female murder victims were white, three were Asian or Pacific Islanders, and one was black.

Most Common Weapons

More than half of the female homicide victims (12 victims or 55 percent) were shot and killed with guns. More than nine out of 10 of these gun victims (11 victims or 92 percent) were killed with handguns. There were five females killed by strangulation and three killed with blunt objects. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

More than nine out of 10 female victims (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, 76 percent (16 victims) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 16 female intimates murdered, 63 percent (10 victims) were killed with guns; 90 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 (19 cases), 79 percent (15 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 40 percent (six cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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