Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

In 2009, the provincial government of New Brunswick (Canada) announced the creation of a domestic violence death review committee (DVDRC). All domestic homicides reviewed by the DVDRC consists of all cases related to a domestic violence death (homicide, suicide, or other deaths) that result from conflict between intimate partners or ex-partners and may include the death of a child or other familial members. A first exploratory study on domestic homicide for a 10-year period (1999-2008) was conducted in 2012. Results clearly show the necessity to better investigate and review domestic homicide cases. In 2018, the Chief coroner requested a second study to examine cases prior and after the implementation of the DVDRC (period of 1999-2018), with the objective to provide a broad understanding of domestic homicide in New Brunswick and the advancement of the work of the DVDRC. Is the DVDRC work making a difference in the community? Is it efficiently addressing the issue of domestic homicide through recommendations directed to stakeholders directly responsible to respond to intimate partner violence situations? This study provides an understanding of 55 domestic homicide cases in New Brunswick involving intimate partner violence and will examine how certain agencies in the province such as Health and Mental Health Services, the Departments of Justice, Public Safety and Social Development as well as community agencies are addressing recommendations made by the DVDRC since the establishment of the review committee.