Asphyxial homicide in two Scandinavian capitals

In the Oslo and Copenhagen capital areas, 94 asphyxial homicides were commi tted in the 10-year period 1985-1994, accounting for 22% of all homicides i n that period. Sixty-nine (73%) of the asphyxia victims were female. The mo st common method of asphyxiation was manual strangulation. Seventeen (18%) of the victims were below the age of 10, accounting for 59% of all homicide s in that age group. Whereas 38% of the female victims were killed by their spouse, this was the case for only one male victim. The motive was not kno wn in a great proportion of cases. Fifty-seven percent of the victims had b een subjected to additional violence, and in this respect there was no diff erence between the sexes. In 12 of the cases the offender was female; in 9 such cases the victim was her offspring. More than half of the victims had no blood alcohol. When disregarding the victims less than 10 years of age, 33% of the male and 49% of the female victims had no blood alcohol. The cri me scene was the victim's domicile among 72% of female and 52% of male vict ims. Forty-two percent of the female and 11% of the male victims above the age of 10 years were married or cohabitant.