Killers often know their victims: report

A REPORT by the Victorian Coroner looking into 545 homicides between 2000 and 2010 in Victoria has found 288 involved family members or intimate partners.

The Victorian Systemic Review of Family Violence Deaths (VSRFVD), led by Coroner Judge Jennifer Coates, found that an intimate relationship was the most common link making up 47 per cent of homicide deaths.

That was followed by parents killing children or children killing parents (26 per cent) and other relatives representing 12 per cent.

The report also analysed the number of service contacts victims and offenders had with the health, justice, community and welfare service systems within a six month period prior to the murders.

It identified three main focus areas for prevention of family violence-related deaths including improved service responses to vulnerable groups, strengthening health service responses to family violence and increasing community awareness of family violence.

The coroner said the evidence confirmed the need to be aware of recognised risk factors and the importance of building a responsive service system that was able to identify and respond appropriately.

Factors included a history of family violence, relationship separation, threats of harm, alcohol misuse and the mental illness in the family.

Of the 545 homicides looked at, males accounted for 363, or 67 per cent, of those killed, and females comprised 182, or 33 per cent.

Single male offenders were responsible for 79 per cent of the homicides and single female offenders for the remaining 21 per cent.

The majority of deaths (74 per cent) occurred in metropolitan rather than regional areas with the homicides predominantly perpetrated by one person.

The coroner said the findings supported previous research that indicated a substantial proportion of homicides were committed by family members, and in particular, intimate partners.

Among eight deaths that involved an intervention order, there were two suicides and one case where the parents of the affected family member were killed.

"Many of the deaths followed historical exposure to violence and abuse, while others occurred in the absence of previously identifiable violent incidents," she said.

In her conclusion, Judge Coates said deaths caused by family violence were deeply saddening events, not only for the immediate family members, but also the wider community.

"The findings of this report indicate that in Victoria, as with other Australian states and territories, deaths among intimate partners and other family members form a substantial proportion of the total number of homicides recorded each year," she said.

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