A Comparison of Homicide-Suicide and Domestic Homicide in the Region of Basle, Switzerland

Background Homicide-suicide and domestic homicide without consecutive suicide might be regarded as an extreme form of domestic violence. According to the national crime-register, however, there might be some relevant differences between the perpetrators of the two. Method The files of all cases of homicide-suicide (n = 24) and of all cases of domestic homicide without suicide (n = 21), which had been examined at the Institute of forensic medicine in Basle between 1987 und 2006, were compared. Results Perpetrators of domestic homicide without suicide were significantly younger, had a poorer educational background and were rather foreigners. About two thirds of the perpetrators of homicide-suicide used a gun compared with only one third of those committing domestic homicide. Discussion Measures as they are known from suicide prevention programmes like limiting the access to lethal instruments like guns might be useful in the case of homicide-suicide, measures for the prevention of domestic homicide should aim at better integration and education of the perpetrators and their family.