When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Tennessee

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Tennessee was 1.93 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 15th highest in the United States

Age

Eight female homicide victims (15 percent) were less than 18 years old, and four victims (eight percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

Twenty-eight female murder victims were white, 24 were black, and one was Asian or Pacific Islander.

Most Common Weapons

Nearly two thirds of female homicide victims (34 victims or 64 percent) were shot and killed with guns. Nearly three quarters of these gun victims (25 victims or 74 percent) were killed with handguns. There were nine females killed with knives or other cutting instruments, and six killed by bodily force. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

More than nine out of 10 female victims (48 victims or 91 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only five female victims (nine percent) were killed by strangers. Of victims who knew their offenders, 54 percent (26 victims) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 26 female intimates murdered, 69 percent (18 victims) were killed with guns; 67 percent of these gun victims (12 victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (43 cases), 91 percent (39 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 72 percent (28 cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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