by Shanaaz Mathews et al.

The objective of this paper is to examine the incidence and patterns of intimate femicide–suicide in South Africa and to describe the factors associated with an increase in the risk of suicide after intimate femicide (i.e. the killing of an intimate female partner).

For this, a cross-sectional retrospective national mortuary-based study was conducted at a proportionate random sample of 25 legal laboratories to identify all homicides committed in 1999 of women aged over 13 years. Data were collected from the mortuary file, autopsy report and a police interview. Findings Among 1349 perpetrators of intimate femicide,19.4% committed suicide within a week of the murder.

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