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Maternal filicide in Turkey
Salih Murat Eke1, Saba Basoglu, Bulent Bakar
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|July 29, 2014
Summary
Maternal filicide, the killing of a child by a mother, is complex, driven by diverse motives beyond mental illness or social factors. Understanding these factors is crucial for assessing risks and supporting mothers.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Filicide, the act of a parent killing their child, occurs globally across all socioeconomic groups.
- Understanding the multifaceted nature of maternal filicide is essential for public health and legal contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the motives, psychopathological aspects, and socio-demographic factors in maternal filicide cases in Turkey.
- To analyze the contributing factors to maternal filicide to inform risk assessment and prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 74 filicide cases involving mothers in Turkey.
- Evaluation of criminal offense categories, including infanticide, fatal abuse, and neglect.
Main Results:
- The study identified various motives for filicide, such as "to get rid of unwanted babies" (24.3%), "acute psychotic-type filicide" (21.6%), and "fatal child abuse and neglect" (17.6%).
- Maternal filicide is not solely attributable to mental instability or environmental factors, highlighting deficits in maternal bonding and parenting skills.
- Other significant motives included revenge, protecting the child from perceived future harm, and pity.
Conclusions:
- Maternal filicide results from a complex interplay of psychological, social, and situational factors.
- Deficiencies in maternal role capacity, including bonding and parenting skills, are indicated.
- Comprehensive assessments considering diverse motives are necessary for identifying at-risk individuals and developing targeted interventions.