Marital Separation and Lethal Male Partner Violence

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Criminology
• Conflict Theory

Background:

• The link between marital separation and intimate partner femicide is a recognized sociological empirical generalization.
• Existing research establishes a strong association, necessitating theoretical explanations for this phenomenon.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test a conflict resolution theory explaining separation-associated femicide.
• To contribute to a cumulative, theory-driven understanding of this specific form of intimate partner violence.

Main Methods:

• Creation of a deductive conflict resolution theory.
• Testing the theory to explain the empirical generalization linking separation and femicide.

Main Results:

• Identified the intensity of conflict during adversarial separation and divorce proceedings as a key causal mechanism.
• The theory provides a framework for understanding why separation escalates the risk of femicide.

Conclusions:

• The study supports a conflict theoretic explanation for separation-associated femicide.
• Intervention strategies can be logically derived from the proposed theory to mitigate risks during separation.