Risk factors for female and male homicidal strangulation in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Background. There is a paucity of research on homicidal strangulation by gender. Objectives. A sex-disaggregated and comparative research approach was used to investigate individual-level risk factors for female and male homicidal strangulation in Johannesburg, South Africa (2001 - 2010). Methods. Data were drawn from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations between each of the independent variables and homicidal strangulation in females and males relative to all other female and male homicides, respectively. Results. The risk of fatal strangulation was high for both females and males aged ≥60 years, but markedly high only for male children and adolescents. Temporal risk for females was undifferentiated for day of the week, and the risk for males was high during weekdays. Females were more likely to be strangled in public places, and males in private locations. Conclusions. The study underlines the importance of disaggregating homicide by external cause and gender.