Ongoing Abuse Following Survival of Attempted Intimate Partner Homicide

Purpose: Studies focusing specifically on the experiences of women who have survived intimate partner homicide (IPH) remain scarce, even as research attention to IPH has significantly increased. Within this limited scholarship, significant attention is given to the circumstances and dynamics of the relationship preceding the IPH episode, with little understanding of how the abusive relationship may evolve following the attempted IPH once the couple has already separated. Using the Assault on Basic Needs framework, the current study aimed to address this gap by exploring attempted IPH survivors’ perceptions of their post-separation relationship with their ex-partners, focusing on the abuse tactics employed by the perpetrators. Methods: Participants were attempted IPH survivors who had publicly shared their stories, and were recruited through social media. An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis methodology was utilized to conduct semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, all women who had survived an attempted IPH. Results: The participants’ narratives uncovered three primary tactics used to sustain the abuse: (1) Post-separation relationship maintained through communication channels, (2) Abuse through the legal system, and (3) Abuse through intermediaries. Conclusion: The findings suggest that even after separation or incarceration, abuse may persist, requiring survivors of attempted homicide to receive additional support and protection on their path to safety and healing.