When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Texas

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Texas was 2.17 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 10th highest in the United States

Age

Thirty female homicide victims (14 percent) were less than 18 years old, and 10 victims (five percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

There were 155 female murder victims who were white, 50 who were black, and five who were Asian or Pacific Islanders.

Most Common Weapons

In cases in which the weapon used in the homicide could be identified (204 cases), more than half of all female homicide victims (113 victims or 55 percent) were shot and killed with guns. More than seven out of 10 of these gun victims (80 victims or 71 percent) were killed with handguns. There were 42 females killed with knives or other cutting instruments, 25 females killed by bodily force, 15 females killed by blunt objects, and eight 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 (203 cases), more than nine out of 10 female victims (190 victims or 94 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only 13 female victims (six percent) were killed by strangers. Of victims who knew their offenders, nearly six out of 10 (110 victims or 58 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 110 female intimates murdered, more than two thirds (75 victims or 68 percent) were killed with guns; 72 percent of these gun victims (54 victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (176 cases), 84 percent (147 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 76 percent (111 cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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