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Prostitute Homicide: A Descriptive Study

NCJ Number
237057
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2008 Pages: 505-543
Author(s)
C. Gabrielle Salfati; Alison R. James; Lynn Ferguson
Date Published
April 2008
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This study examined prostitute homicides and how they differed from other subgroups of homicide.
Abstract
It has been estimated that women involved in street prostitution are 60 to 100 times more likely to be murdered than are nonprostitute females. In addition, homicides of prostitutes are notoriously difficult to investigate and, as such, many cases remain unsolved. Despite this large risk factor, little literature exists on homicides of prostitutes, and there is a lack of basic statistics and knowledge regarding this very specific victim group that could possibly help investigators. The aim of the current study is to conduct an exploratory study to explore the key characteristics of this group and how they differ from other subgroups of homicide. Forty-six cases of UK prostitute homicides are analyzed and compared to 59 male offenderfemale victim nonsexual homicide cases and 17 male offenderfemale victim sexual homicide cases. (Published Abstract)