What increases the likelihood of intimate partner homicide perpetration by women? A review of circumstances surrounding women who kill their intimate partners

Key digested message Although research suggests gender differences in the perpetration of intimate partner homicide (IPH), recent findings focusing on circumstances and risk factors for increased IPH perpetration show conflicting results or fail to differentiate between male and female perpetrators. The current exploratory review included papers from a 20-year period between 2003–2023, identifying several factors that may contribute to incidents of female-perpetrated IPH: self-defence and prior experience of domestic violence, socioeconomic status and unemployment, prior convictions, influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and mental illness. Implications of findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.