“I Didn't Know He Had It in Him to Kill Me”: Nonlethal Firearms Use and Partner Violence Against Canadian Women

Abstract

This qualitative research explored with women the nature and impact of non-lethal firearm related assaults inflicted on them by their male partners. Forty women from Alberta, Canada described incident(s) in which firearms were central, with 5 contextual themes emerging: (a) threats by partners to commit suicide with firearms (4 women); (b) indirect threats (6 women); (c) explicit threats to harm with a firearm without producing the weapon (11 women); (d) one traumatic incident involving firearms (12 women); and (e) firearm threats or used throughout the relationship (7 women). Practice and policy options are presented for forensic and clinical social workers, shelter workers and police officers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Canadian Firearms Centre of the Department of Justice Canada commissioned this research. I would like to thank the research partners: The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters, Edmonton Police Service Spousal Violence Intervention Teams and The Calgary Police Service Domestic Conflict Unit and Julie Lovely, then Research Officer of the Firearms Research Unit of the Canadian Firearms Centre.