Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of children is paramount. Yet, filicide, the killing of one’s own child, is the second most common type of domestic homicide in Australia after intimate partner homicide. Despite overall domestic homicide rates decreasing, filicide remains consistent.
This landmark report from ANROWS and the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network presents the first national figures for filicides that have occurred in Australia in the context of domestic and family violence (DFV).
A significant 76 per cent of filicides in Australia occur within the context of DFV, involving a history of child abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV), or both. These cases are referred to as “DFV-context filicides”. This finding highlights the importance of safeguarding children through better understanding the impact of violence and resourcing effective interventions.