Broken Ties, Broken Lives: Analyzing the Impact of Relationship Dissolution and Gun Use on Domestic Violence Outcomes

Numerous studies have explored domestic violence from a broad perspective, examining factors such as mental health, alcohol, and substance abuse. However, limited research has focused on the lethality of domestic violence incidents. This research aims to investigate the impact of relationship dissolution on domestic violence outcomes, particularly when firearms are involved. Analyzing more than 300 domestic homicide cases using multiple analytical approaches, the study found that relationship dissolution has no significant association with domestic violence outcomes, but the type of weapon used shows an important relationship. It was also observed that mental health plays no mediating role in the relationship between relationship dissolution and DH outcomes. Our findings inform the development of effective policies to prevent domestic homicides.