Maternal Filicide among Women Admitted to Forensic Psychiatric Institutions in Malaysia: Case Series
OBJECTIVES:
To
examine the characteristics of maternal filicide and describe the adverse life
events experienced by women who have committed filicide and been hospitalised
in forensic psychiatric institutions in Malaysia.
METHODS:
Registration
records from 2000 through 2012 of female patients from 2 main forensic
psychiatric institutions in Malaysia were reviewed. The medical records of
patients who had committed maternal filicide were selected and descriptively
evaluated.
RESULTS:
A total
of 18 cases of maternal filicide were identified. Family dysfunction that
presented with marital discord, domestic violence, or husband with substance
abuse was the main stress experienced by the women. Three social circumstances,
including an adolescent who became a victim of date rape; immigrants who
experienced sexual abuse; and filicide-suicide precipitated by financial
difficulties were highlighted.
CONCLUSION:
Women
who committed filicide had experienced various difficulties in their life. The
presence of such life events might alert mental health professionals to
investigate the possibility of filicide among their patients.
By: Razali S1, Salleh RM2, Yahya B3, Ahmad SH1.
- 1Psychological and Behavioural Medicine Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
- 2Forensic Psychiatry Unit, Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Perak, Malaysia.
- 3Forensic Psychiatry Unit, Hospital Permai, Tampoi, Johore, Malaysia.
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