The Australian Institute of Criminology has recently released a paper that examines the circumstances and characteristics of various types of family homicide in Australia. The data analysed in this research is taken from the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) at the AIC that covers the period from 1 July 1989 to 30 June 2002. Family homicide includes intimate partner homicide (current and former intimate partners); filicide (custodial and non-custodial parents killing their child(ren)); parricide (children killing their parent(s)); siblicide (homicide between siblings); and other family homicide (the killing of cousins, in-laws etc). Of the 4,421 victims of homicide during the 13-year period, 1,671 (38 per cent) were killed by a family member. This equates to an average of 129 family homicides a year. The most common type of family homicide over the 13-year period was intimate partner homicide (60 per cent) followed by filicide (17 per cent), parricide (9 per cent), and other family (9 per cent). Siblicide was the least common type of family homicide (5 per cent)
Distribution of family homicides in Australia, 1989-90 to 2001-02 [see attached PDF for pie chart]
Source
- Mouzos, J & Rushforth, C, 2003, "Family Homicide in Australia", Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 255, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra.