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Cited by 126Homicide, Infanticide, and Child AbuseIntimate Partner and Family ViolenceFamily Dynamics and Relationships

The murder of children by fathers in the context of child abuse

Cavanagh, Kate, Dobash, R. Emerson, Dobash, Russell P.·2007·Child Abuse & Neglect
DOI 10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.016
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Abstract

Objective This study examined the backgrounds of fathers who fatally abuse their children and the contexts within which these homicides occur. The type of relationship between victim, perpetrator, and the victim's mother was a particular interest.Methods Data were gathered from 26 cases of fatal child abuse perpetrated by fathers derived from the wider Murder in Britain study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from extensive prison case files of men serving life sentences for child murder.Results This was a group of undereducated, underemployed men with significant criminal histories. All except one victim had been subjected to previous violence by the offender, almost three-quarter of whom had also perpetrated violence against their intimate partners (the child's birth mother). Many men had unreasonable expectations and low tolerance levels of normal childhood behaviors, and many appeared jealous and resentful of these young children. All 26 victims were under 4 years of age. Sixty-two percent of the offenders were stepfathers and in only four cases was the perpetrator a birth father married to the birth mother. Stepfathers had more disrupted and disadvantaged backgrounds and experiences than birth fathers.Conclusions Findings suggest that fathers who perpetrate fatal child abuse have a propensity to use violence against children in their care and intimate partners, raising questions about the gender dynamics and generational boundaries operating in these families. The nature and type of intimate relationship (whether married or cohabiting) and fathering relationship (whether birth or de facto) were important differentiating factors in these homicides as well as characteristics of the offender.Practice implications Professionals working in child protection strive to provide effective services to children and families, ever vigilant to the possibility of the death of a child as a consequence of an assault. By and large, fathers (either biological or de facto) as the perpetrators of such assaults have received minimal attention in both policy and practice. Findings from this study suggest that practitioners need to be cognizant of men's attitudes towards and expectations of fathering (particularly stepfathering) which may present increased levels of risk to both children and intimate partners.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.016

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  • Physical punishment can escalate to abusive or harsh physical punishment, resulting in child physical abuse or death.

    “Despite differences across studies, these estimates highlight PP as an important public health issue because it involves use of physical force (e.g., hitting), which can escalate to abusive or harsh PP, resulting in child physical abuse (PA; Afifi et al., 2017;Gershoff, 2002) or death (Cavanagh, Dobash, & Dobash, 2007).”

    From Child abuse-related homicides precipitated by caregiver use of harsh physical punishment (2023) · cites this paper as Cavanagh, Dobash, & Dobash, 2007

  • In that study, perpetrators' intent to punish child's crying behavior was the main precipitator, with abusive head trauma noted in most fatalities.

    “In that study, perpetrators' intent to punish child's crying behavior was the main precipitator, with abusive head trauma (more commonly known as shaken baby syndrome; National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, 2020) being noted in most of the fatalities (Cavanagh et al., 2007).”

    From Child abuse-related homicides precipitated by caregiver use of harsh physical punishment (2023) · cites this paper as Cavanagh et al., 2007

  • One study examined case files in 26 fatal physical abuse cases of children ages 3 weeks to 4 years in the United Kingdom.

    “One study that is consistently cited as evidence that PP is a risk factor for fatal abuse examined case files in 26 fatal PA cases of children ages 3 weeks to 4 years in the United Kingdom (Cavanagh et al., 2007).”

    From Child abuse-related homicides precipitated by caregiver use of harsh physical punishment (2023) · cites this paper as Cavanagh et al., 2007

  • Prior studies have established a link between physical punishment and negative outcomes.

    “Prior studies have established a link between PP and negative outcomes (Afifi et al., 2017;Cavanagh et al., 2007;Gershoff, 2002;Sege et al., 2018;Trocmé et al., 2005).”

    From Child abuse-related homicides precipitated by caregiver use of harsh physical punishment (2023) · cites this paper as Cavanagh et al., 2007

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Authors
Cavanagh, K., Dobash, R. E., & Dobash, R. P.
Affiliations
  • University of Stirling (GB)
  • University of Manchester (GB)
Corresponding author
Cavanagh, Kate
Venue
Child Abuse & Neglect
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2007-07
Volume
31
Issue
7
Pages
731-746
ISSN
0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.016
OpenAlex
W2081459246
Cited by
126
References
73
Citations by year
2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 9
FWCI
17.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
Funders
University of Sydney
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
child homicide, fatal child abuse, fathers, stepfathers, intimate partner violence, gender dynamics, generational boundaries, child protection, offender background
MeSH terms
Child, Child Abuse, Child, Preschool, England, Fathers, Female, Homicide, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Research, Databases, Factual

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