When is femicide ‘matricide’ and why are the figures rising?

Matricide is the killing of a mother by her child.

A recent report analysing the deaths of women in the UK from 2009 to 2023 reveals that nearly one in ten women who died at the hands of men were mothers killed by their sons.

WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED BY THEIR OWN SON THAN BY A STRANGER.

The figures are shocking. Nearly 1 in 5 women killed by men in the UK last year were killed by their sons. In Merseyside, matricide accounts for 17% of all femicides since 2009. This called ‘child to parent abuse’. When it leads to a fatality – this is ‘Matricide’.

This research, which studies over 2,000 cases, indicates that more than 170 mothers fell victim to matricide during this period.

This statistic underscores concerns about systemic failures that leave women vulnerable to violence from their male relatives.

According to Karen Ingala Smith, co-founder of the Femicide Census, the figures represent only a fraction of the broader issue, with many other victims living in fear and isolation.

What causes or triggers matricide?

There are a variety of factors that could contribute to this troubling trend. These can include issues related to mental health, substance abuse, and economic conditions. These can force adult children to live at home for longer periods.

The report, part of the 2,000 Women initiative by the Femicide Census, highlights that mental health issues were present in 58% of matricide cases. However there is currently no specific government policy aimed at preventing violence against mothers by their mentally ill sons.

Young people, and predominantly, though not exclusively, adolescent boys, who have developed patterns of violence, intimidation, coercive control, and psychological abuse directed at their mothers.

Many of the men who killed their mothers had histories of abusing intimate partners, and moved in with their mothers after those relationships broke down.

A family is finally visible to services because a child is at risk and where a mother is living with an adult son whose behaviour towards her is frightening, controlling, and dangerous, but who is not being assessed or monitored in any systematic way.

How does matricide compare with the current femicide rates and the legal outcomes?

The Femicide Census report also indicates that from 2009 to 2023, one woman was killed every three days in the UK by men, showing the ongoing crisis of femicide.

Statistical analysis revealed that 90% of the killers were either family members, partners, or acquaintances of the victim, and over 60% of the women killed had previously been involved with their assailant in a domestic relationship.

The nature of the violence is troubling, with nearly half of the women being killed by means of stabbing, while 27% were strangled.

In terms of legal outcomes, 60% of men convicted of killing women received murder convictions, while only a small percentage were sentenced to life in prison.

Worryingly, the report noted a contrast in the treatment of men convicted of manslaughter caused by ‘diminished responsibility’. These has resulted in a higher percentage of sons being sent to mental health facilities compared to partners or ex-partners.

How to seek help

Mothers who love their sons, who are frightened of them, who do not know where to turn, and who are being placed in very serious danger. 170 women were living with risk that, in most cases, services had the capacity to identify. But they were killed as a direct consequence of a system that has failed to hold risk appropriately.

There remains a lack of awareness, recognition and support for women experiencing abuse from their children. We are working with our partner agencies towards plugging the gaps in the provision of these services.

Mothers are not just statistics and deserve the same safeguarding and protection (if not arguably more) as those facing domestic abuse from their partners.

If you are experiencing abuse from your children or grandchildren we can help you. No one should experience domestic abuse in their own home. And no-one should have their life taken by their own child.

Call us on 0151 494 2222 in complete confidence and we can signpost you to support.