Fatal Violence in Young People's Intimate Relationships : A Qualitative Content Analysis of Preliminary Investigation Protocols

This study investigates the power relations that precede lethal violence in young people's intimate relationships. This is conducted through a qualitative content analysis of four preliminary investigation protocols, in which the victims were aged 15-19. The findings reveal that women are primarily the victims of lethal violence in young people's intimate relationships, highlighting the vulnerability of this demographic as a marginalized group. Age appears to influence several of the power factors identified in the protocols. The lethal violence appears to be preceded by jealousy, control, substance abuse, and previous violence, suggesting that there are parallels between the factors that precedes intimate lethal violence among adults and youth in Sweden. Previous research indicates that the violence young people experience is not always taken as seriously as that experienced by adults, despite these similarities. Moreover, professional development in handling such cases is identified as a crucial factor in preventing the violence young people are exposed to. Our findings suggests that there is a difficulty in identifying young victims, despite varying levels of awareness among those around them. The same applies to the perpetrator's use of violence. We argue, based on our results in relation to the strategies identified as essential in previous research, that both young victims and perpetrators must be identified to ensure appropriate support and intervention. This appears crucial for professional competence development to have a meaningful impact.