Lethal and non-lethal violent offences in intimate and non-intimate relationships in Norway between 2016 and 2020

Although homicide rates have declined in Europe since the 1990s, a parallel decline did not occur in intimate partner homicide (IPH) until the last decade. Recent studies have mostly focused on trends in completed homicide, without considering attempted homicides or serious assault cases. Tracking the cohort from the Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service of lethal and non-lethal violent offences in intimate and non-intimate relationships (2016–2020), we examined trends in homicide, attempted homicide and serious violent offences in intimate and non-intimate relationships. The prevalence and rates of lethal and non-lethal violent offences in intimate (IRR = 0.878, p = 0.007), and non-intimate relationships (IRR = 0.916, p ≤ 0.001) decreased during the period. Though rates varied, measured by Poisson regression the incidence of homicide, IPH, attempted IPH, and aggravated assault remained stable. Incidence of attempted homicide increased (IRR = 1.205, p = 0.002); grievous bodily harm without causing death decreased (IRR = 0.885, p ≤ 0.001). Associations between legally enforceable cases for different violence offenses were not significant when adjusted for multiple comparisons, though there was a moderate negative trend between attempted homicide and grievous bodily harm without causing death (rP = -0.903, p = 0.036 Pearson’s correlation). Examining timelines on lethal and non-lethal violent offenses in intimate and non-intimate relationships helps disaggregate changes to distinct violent offences.