Article
Husbands Who Kill Their Wives: An Analysis of Uxoricides in Contemporary Ghana
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
(2008)
Abstract
This article addresses the current lack of research on uxoricides in non-Western societies by examining the phenomenon in Ghana, West Africa. Analysis of data from the 60 husband-wife killings reported in a national daily newspaper reveals that jealousy and suspicion of infidelity overwhelmingly provided the basis for wife murders. The findings also indicate that assailants and victims were of low socioeconomic background and the murders predominantly occurred in the rural areas of the country. Posthomicidal suicide by the assailant occurred in about one fourth of the cases. Overall, the results demonstrate that the patterns of uxoricide in Ghana are congruous in many significant ways with those noted in Western industrialized societies. It is concluded that additional research in non-Western societies is warranted to contribute to the development of sound conclusions about and remedies for uxoricide.
Keywords
- homicide,
- murder,
- uxoricide,
- spousal murder,
- Ghana,
- femicide
Disciplines
Publication Date
2008
Citation Information
Mensah Adinkrah. "Husbands Who Kill Their Wives: An Analysis of Uxoricides in Contemporary Ghana" International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Vol. 52 (2008) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/mensah_adinkrah/17/