Forensic Risk Assessment in Women

When assessing risk in women, mental health professionals should remain aware of gender’s influence on risk factors — both their presence and relevance to the overall picture of risk. They should keep in mind that when women commit crime and violence, these actions are often related to their unique experiences and social roles.

Women and girls differ from men and boys in many aspects of criminal and violent behaviour, said Dr. Stephanie Penney in a presentation for the International Forensic Psychiatry Lecture Series. Women’s and girls’ development before committing violence can differ. There are differences in who their victims are, the pathways they take to justice involvement, and the motivations for crime and violence.

Hummingbird Lodge

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Intimate Partner Violence and Women Who Kill

It is rare for women to kill their abusers, but when they do, it is probably not planned. It is often a self-defence response or a way to protect their children. Few cases involve premeditated retaliation. Dr. Ryan Hall highlighted what forensic mental health professionals need to know about the perpetrators and victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), whether male or female.

Childhood Sexual Abuse by Women Against Boys

When it comes to sexual abuse, a new, broader theoretical framework needs to include gender diversity.

When a woman sexually abuses a boy, the woman and the boy each experience events differently than men who sexually abuse girls. These discussions need to include stereotypes about dangerous females, male sexuality, normal sexual experimentation, and the social worth of males’ perceptions of female sexual attention.