Effects of Uxoricide on Children

Authors

  • Camelia SOPONARU Associate Professor, PhD, „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
  • Ani-Maria GHERGHEL Forensic psychologist, PhD, County Police Inspectorate of Iaşi, Forensic Service

Keywords:

uxoricide, domestic violence, somatic and psychosocial effects, intervention.

Abstract

Uxoricide is murder of one’s wife or life partner. The effect on children of the murder of a parent by the other parent is immediate and devastating. In some cases, they have witnessed the murder and they stayed with the dead or dying parent. Also, matrimonial discord and divorce often precede uxoricide. The arrest of the suspect parent is a further traumatic experience. The relationship with (in most cases) the father can become an additional burden. Finally, children will be taken from the family setting and confusions may arise about who will be responsible for their upbringing. On many occasions, children will blame themselves and see no way out for their emotional responses. Whilst uxoricide is an exceptional case of domestic violence, research in this field has wider relevance because it reveals the characteristics of the approach policy by child welfare agencies when working with the children in such traumatic conditions.

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Additional Files

Published

19-07-2019