January 27, 2004

In Michigan, once every five days intimate partner homicide occurred in 1999, reports a recent study from the Michigan Department of Community Health’s Violence Against Women Prevention Program.

This retrospective analysis, the first of its kind, found that women were victims of homicide by an intimate partner four times more often than men. In total, 75 Michigan residents were identified as victims of intimate partner homicide in 1999.

“Looking at the history and tracking the incidences of intimate partner homicide is crucial in understanding why this occurs and how to stop it,” said Janet Olszewski, Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “Statistics from the study, while sobering, are imperative to raising the necessary awareness about this kind of homicide.”

These findings are a result of the most comprehensive tracking effort ever conducted for intimate partner homicide in Michigan. Researchers electronically linked death certificates, newspaper clippings, law enforcement reports, prosecuting attorneys’ files and medical examiners reports to trace these types of killings.

This form of analysis has never been done before and plans have been made to continue the research into more recent years. Researchers found that women who were victims of intimate partner homicide were also commonly victims of intimate partner violence.

Information and advice on increasing victims’ level of personal safety can be obtained through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.