Femmes, troubles mentaux, tentatives d’homicide et homicides : caractéristiques des auteures, des passages à l’acte et des victimes

Abstract

Women commit fewer homicides than men in most countries. Little has been written about women who have committed homicide. In this study, we will first introduce the evolution of the perception of female criminality and then define its links with mental illnesses. Through studying a population of woman suffering from mental disorders, we will attempt to define the main characteristics and particularities of these individuals. In order to accomplish this, we will draw on various studies conducted at the Henri Colin Unit for the Seriously Mentally Ill in the Women's Pavilion in Villejuif (a retrospective study of women who have committed homicide and were hospitalized in this unit, a retrospective study of women responsible for filicide treated in this same unit, and a descriptive study of all patients treated in all units for the seriously mentally ill in France). We will illustrate this through the clinical case study of a patient who was threated after committing a homicide. By examining her journey and clinical profile, we will identify retrospective elements that raise concerns about potential danger.