“It’s Not Certain She Killed Him, but with Her Personality and the Means of Murder, it’s Very Likely”. A Thematic Exploration of Stereotypical Beliefs in Cases of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Homicide

Stereotyping of female perpetrators of intimate partner homicide (IPH) has the potential to influence sentencing severity. To investigate beliefs about female IPH defendants, UK jury-eligible participants (N = 120) aged 18 - 75 read a series of four vignettes detailing hypothetical cases of female-perpetrated IPH and described their beliefs regarding the defendant. Data were analyzed utilizing Reflexive Thematic Analysis, resulting in five themes: (1) responsibility, (2) othering, (3) mental illness, (4) self-defense and (5) story. Results suggest levels of perceived guilt are influenced by beliefs about femininity, personality, presence of domestic abuse, self-defense and mental illness. Participants created inferences to explain reasoning, with some participants using “created characters” rather than provided evidence. Gaps in knowledge were identified regarding serious mental illness (SMI) and effects of trauma, and findings diverged in relation to self-defense and victim latency. Alignment with previously identified stereotypes and future avenues for research are discussed.