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Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
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Réseau canadien pour la prévention des mauvais traitements envers les aîné(e)s
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Homicide and Senior Abuse
1. Introduction
2. How Many Seniors Have Been Killed in a Family Homicide?
3. Are Older Men or Older Women More Likely to be Killed?
4. Who is Most Likely to Cause the Senior's Death?
5. Are Family Homicides Rates Against Seniors Increasing or Decreasing?
6. Who is More Likely to Harm Seniors- Strangers or Family?
7. Is the Homicide a "Spur of the Moment" Thing?
9. Do Some Homicides Involve Suicide as Well?
10. Are Some of These Murder-Suicide Pacts?
11.What Do We Know About the Characteristics of the People Accused and the Victims?
12. How is the Homicide Dealt with at Law?
Homicide and Senior Abuse
1. Introduction
Each year, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics publishes an informative report "Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile", and includes a section on family violence against seniors. The following information is drawn from those reports.
In preparing the annual Family Violence report, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics collects data from 94 police departments using a Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR2) Survey. This data represents approximately 56% of the national volume of crime.
Homicide represents the most serious form of family violence.
Many people are unaware that some abused seniors in Canada are killed by a member of their family.
2. How Many Seniors Have Been Killed in a Family Homicide?
In 2001, there were 35 homicides of older Canadians (those aged 65+) reported to the police departments. This represents 6% of all the homicides in Canada. A family member committed 19 of these homicides. (1) According to the
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, (2) among the homicides committed against older women, 8 women were murdered by a spouse, 3 were murdered by an adult son and one by another family member. In 7 cases, older men were victims of homicides perpetrated by either an adult son or daughter.In 2002, there were 44 homicides against seniors reported. Family members committed 16 of these homicides (12 against older women and 4 against older men).(3)
Between 1974 and 2001, 391 seniors were killed by family members. The majority (53%) of older women were killed by a spouse or ex-spouse. In contrast, older males were most often killed by an adult son (43%) and other family members (29%) in family-related homicides.(4)
Homicides committed by non-family members tend to involve people who are casual acquaintances.
3. Are Older Men or Older Women More Likely to be Killed?
Generally older men are more likely to victims of homicide than older women: the homicide rate against older men was 11 per million, compared to a rate of 6 per million for older women in 2001. (5) However, if we only look at family homicides, the rates were similar for older men and women (5 per million and 4 per million, respectively).(6) Rates of family homicides have been similar for older men and women since the late 1970s.
4. Who is Most Likely to Cause the Senior's Death?
According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, between 1974 and 2000, 26% of homicides where an older person was killed were committed by family members. In most of these cases (39%), the homicide was committed by the older adult's spouse. Older husbands were more likely to kill older wives, than vice versa.
(7)Over one in three (37%) family homicides against seniors was committed by their adult children and just under one quarter (24%) was committed by extended family members.
(8)The most recent available figures reveal that older women were most vulnerable to being killed by a spouse (42%) or by a son (37%). (9)
Older men are more likely to be killed by sons (51%) than any other family member. One quarter (25%) of homicides against older men were committed by their spouse, equal to the proportion committed by other family members. (10)
Older adults who are in common law relationships are much more likely to be killed by their partner than those who are married or divorced (5-10 times more likely). (11)
Three-quarters of accused adult children were between the ages of 35 and 54 years. For spousal homicides, the majority of accused (77%) tended to be similar in age to their spouses. For other family members accused of killing a senior, there is no clear age pattern. This group includes a range of relationships, such as cousins, brothers, and other extended family members.(12)
5. Are Family Homicides Rates Against Seniors Increasing or Decreasing?
The rate appears to be increasing.
In the early 1990s, there was a sharp drop in the rates of family homicides against seniors aged 65 and over. Since then, there has been a general increase in the rate of family homicides against seniors. However, the rate in 2002 (6.0 homicides for every million seniors) was slightly lower than the family homicide rate against seniors recorded in 1974 (6.8 for every million seniors). (13)
6. Who is More Likely to Harm Seniors- Strangers or Family?
Older people tend to be afraid of being harmed by strangers. However, the rate of non-family homicides against older adults has dropped significantly over the last 29 years. It has decreased from 13.1 killings per million seniors in 1974 to 3.8 per million seniors in 2002.(14) Since the 1970s, most seniors were killed by non-family members.
However, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics notes that in the past two years, there has been an apparent shift in the most common perpetrators of homicides against seniors. Seniors were more likely to be killed by a family member than by an acquaintance, friend, or stranger. This has only occurred in three other years: 1987,1990, and 1996. (15)
7. Is the Homicide a "Spur of the Moment" Thing?
No, the death of the older person often reflects escalating violence. Often this is not the only crime that has happened in the family. From 1991 to 2001, 31% of persons accused of committing a homicide against a senior family member had a prior history of family violence with that victim.(16) One-in-three relationships there was a prior history of domestic violence. The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics reports "Lethal assaults marked the end of a pattern of violence..." The Centre also notes "Older adults accused of killing their spouse were most likely to have had domestic violence in their past (37%)." (17)
It is important to recognize that spousal violence or other family violence against seniors can escalate and lead to death. Safety planning is an important component of helping older adults recognize their own risk.
According to available information, the death of senior family member most commonly stemmed from the escalation of an argument. Between 1993 and 2002, nearly one-third of accused family members committed homicides as a result of an argument (31%). Frustration, anger, and despair were also common underlying motives, accounting for 25% of motivations. (18)
The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics notes
"These motivations differ considerably from those for non-family homicides. The most prevalent motive underlying non-family homicides was financial gain (28%), closely followed by the residual category of ‘other’ (26%), which includes such motives as ‘mercy killing’."
Although the motivation of financial gain was less common among all family homicides, it is apparent in homicides of senior family members. About 12% of older victims were killed by family members for financial gain, compared to 4% of adults aged 18-to-64 and 3% of children under 18 who were killed by family member. This may be due to seniors’ assets, along with a greater likelihood of dependency on relatives for the management of their finances. The motive of financial gain in homicides involving seniors has grown from 4% between 1974 and 1982, to 8% between 1983 and 1992, and to 12% in the most recent ten-year period." (19)
The most common causes of death in family homicides of older adults were stabbings (35%), beatings (27%), and shootings (20%).(20) In comparison, less than one tenth (8%) of non-family homicides against seniors were committed using a firearm. Death of seniors by non-family members tends to be through beatings (42% of seniors killed by acquaintances, friends, and strangers were killed this way). (21)
9. Do Some Homicides Involve Suicide as Well?
People who study crime note that in spousal homicides and in homicides against children and youth, sometimes the person committing the homicide also kills himself or herself. Does this happen in family homicide against seniors?
Yes, it does happen, but it is much less common, unless it is a spouse killing a spouse. Unlike spousal homicides and homicides of children and youth, fewer family homicides against seniors by adult children or extended family resulted in the suicide of the accused.
According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, between 1993 and 2002 approximately one in five persons committing homicide against a senior took his or her own life following the homicide. (22) The vast majority of these incidents involved the victim's spouses. Approximately two-in-five cases the older spouses (41%) committed suicide following the homicide. If you look at all age groups, this is much higher than the level of ‘murder-suicides’ among all spousal accused (25%). (23) Among adult children who killed their parent, 18% (almost all of them men) committed suicide. (24)
In general (just as with all spousal homicides for other age groups), senior males are much more likely to kill their spouse and then kill themselves, than senior women are (51% versus 14%). (25)
There is some suggestion with other age groups, that men committing murder-suicide tend to be depressed.(26) Recent research is beginning to confirm this trend for older adults as well. (27)
Also, compared to older men who commit suicide, those involved in homicide-suicide display significantly more domestic violence, or they have been caregivers for their wives. (28)
Depression and suicide screening can be important when helping family members who are, or may be abusive towards seniors. It may help prevent some of these homicides or suicides.
10. Are Some of These Murder-Suicide Pacts?
It has been suggested that some homicides may involve situations a senior in poor health is caring for a spouse in poor health, and together they decide they do not want to live: one person kills the other and then kills himself or herself.
It is important to be very cautious about drawing conclusions or making assumptions in this area. While that situation may occur, medical examiners note that in their experience, many older women show defense wounds (such as putting up their hands to fend off the attack). In other words, the couple did not decide to end their lives together.
11. What Do We Know About the Characteristics of the People Accused and the Victims?
a. One-in-three relationships had prior history of domestic violence.
According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, "lethal assaults marked the end of a pattern of violence in one out of three family homicides involving seniors."(29)
People accused of killing their spouse were most likely to have had domestic violence in their past (37%). Senior abuse is often a continuation of spousal violence into later life. In addition, older male spouse victims were more likely than older female spouse victims to have a history of domestic violence with the accused.(30)
Over one-third (35%) of those accused of killing other senior family members had a history of domestic violence, followed by those accused of killing older parents (27%). (31) When the killer was a son, past family violence was more common in homicides against senior men than senior women.
b. The abuser often has a criminal record.
The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics began collecting information on criminal history in 1997.(30) Homicide data from 1997 to 2002 shows that about 4-in-10 persons accused of killing a senior family member had a previous criminal record. Among those with a criminal record, they were most commonly convicted for a violent crime (38%). (32) Sons accused of killing their senior fathers were more likely than any other accused family members, to have had a criminal record.
12. How is the Homicide Dealt with at Law?
a. First-degree murder is the most common charge (33)
According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, one half of the people accused who were charged with the homicide of the senior family member were charged with first-degree murder. Another 39% were charged with second-degree murder. The lesser serious charge of manslaughter was only laid in one-tenth of cases.
The most common charges for spouses, adult children, and other family members were all first-degree murder. Thus, most homicides against seniors were considered planned and deliberate, regardless of accused-victim relationship. This has not always been the case. First degree murder charges were less common in the past, compared to the most recent ten-year period.
 | It is important to recognize that spousal violence or other family violence against seniors can escalate and lead to death. |
| Between 1974 and 2001, 391 seniors were killed by family members. |
| The rates of being killed by a family member are becoming similar for older men and women |
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Older women tend to be killed by a spouse (42%) or by a son (37%). |
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Older men more likely to be killed by sons (51%) than any other family member. |
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Older men are much more likely to kill their wives and then kill themselves (murder-suicide), than older women are. |
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Depression may be a factor in some of the homicides. |
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Depression and suicide screening can be important when helping family members who are or may be abusive. |
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Approximately 1-in-4 non family homicides against seniors and 1-in-8 of the family homicides against seniors are for financial gain. |
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The rate of family homicide against seniors appears to be increasing. |
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One-in-three of the homicide relationships had prior history of domestic violence. |
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Approximately 4-in-10 persons accused of killing a senior family member had a previous criminal record, often with a conviction for violent crime. |
References
(1) K. Coin. Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2003. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Catalogue no. 85-224-XIE. Online at: www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/85-224-XIE/free.htm
(2) Ibid.
(3) J. Brzozowski. "Family violence against older adults" in Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2004. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Catalogue no. 85-224-XIE. Table 3.2, pg. 32. Online at : www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/downpub/listpub.cgi?catno=85-224-XIE2004000
(4) K. Coin., n. 1, pg. 24
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ibid.
(7) M. Dauvergne, Family violence against older adults. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2002. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada: Cat. No. 85 224 XIE at pg. 30.
(8) M. Dauvergne, (March, 2003). Family violence against seniors. Canadian Social Trends, No. 68. 10-14, at 13.
(9) M. Gannon. "Family homicide" in Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2004. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Catalogue no. 85-224-XIE p. 35-52, at page 46 Online at : www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/downpub/listpub.cgi?catno=85-224-XIE2004000
(10) Gagnon, ibid.
(11) J. Brzozowski, supra, note 3. Table 4.4
(12) Gagnon, supra, note 9, at p. 47.
(13) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 46.
(14) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 45.
(15) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 45.
(16) K. Coin. supra, note 1.
(17) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 47.
(18) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 46.
(19) Ibid.
(20) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 45.
(21) Ibid.
(22) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 47.
(23) Ibid.
(24) Ibid.
(25) Ibid.
(26) Rosenbaum, M. (Aug. 1990). The Role of Depression in Couples Involved in Murder-Suicide and Homicide, American Journal of Psychiatry, 147 (8), 1036-1039.
(27) Malphurs JE, Cohen D. (2005) A statewide case-control study of spousal homicide-suicide in older persons. American Journal Geriatric Psychiatry 13(3): 211-7
(28) Ibid.
(27) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 45.
(28) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 47.
(29) Ibid.
(30) Ibid.
(31) Ibid.
(32) Gagnon, ibid, at p. 48.
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