Threatened and attempted suicide by partner-violent male respondents petitioned to family violence court

Violence Vict. 2002 Apr;17(2):115-25. doi: 10.1891/vivi.17.2.115.33645.

Abstract

The authors examined threatened and attempted suicide among partner-violent male respondents in a family court domestic violence intervention court based on the reports of 101 women petitioning the court for orders of protection. Suicidal behavior was prevalent; 45.5% of respondents had a history of threatened suicide and 12.9% had a history of suicide attempts. Most recent threats were clustered in the previous 6 months (70.5%) with one-fourth occurring within a week of the petition, potentially indicating a desperate response to a deteriorating relationship. Attempts were not clustered in recent months. Men with a history of threatened or attempted suicide were shown to have been more violent at the index offense and greater domestic violence severity overall, potentially indicating a subsample of more severely partner-violent men also at particularly heightened risk for suicide. The study of suicidal behavior in partner-violent men may inform the prevention of suicide and severe domestic violence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • New York
  • Risk
  • Spouse Abuse / psychology*
  • Suicide / psychology*
  • Suicide Prevention*
  • Suicide, Attempted / prevention & control
  • Suicide, Attempted / psychology