Spousal Homicides in Contemporary Greece

Abstract

This study has explored patterns and motives of spousal homicide in Greece. The data were obtained from an availability sample of 62 cases of spousal homicides published in daily Greek newspapers which record spousal killings in all of Greece. The findings suggest that spousal homicide in Greece is manifested in certain patterns of occupational status, gender, age, place of occurrence, method of inflicting death and occurrence of suicide-homicide. The data also tend to support the argument that in spousal homicides the predominant issues are real or imagined sexual infidelity, jealousy and coercive control of the spouse. Patterns and motives of such homicides are generally similar to those reported in other industrial societies, especially Canada and the United States.