Domestic violence is a violent act against a person who is or has previously been an intimate partner. It is more common for men to commit violent acts against their spouse, and although much less common, women have also committed violent acts against their partners, as well as problems with same-sex partners (Davis 2008). As a result, this behavior can often lead to domestic homicide. Homicide in general is a predominantly male area of ​​crime as women make up a very small fraction of offenders while the large majority are men (Brookman 2005). Women are more likely to be killed by a male intimate partner than by a stranger (Ximena & Stuart 1999). Domestic homicide or intimate partner homicide is a fatal attack perpetrated by an intimate partner (Norman & Bradshaw 2013). These types of homicides represent the largest percentage of all homicides. In the years 2010–2012, intimate partner homicides accounted for 58% of all homicides in Australia (AIC 2016). Acts of hitting, pushing and shoving one's spouse are now a fairly common occurrence and have become known by some as common couple violence (Ximena & Stuart 1999). Following the increasing number of violent domestic disputes, the Queensland Government introduced the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 which allows victims to apply for protection orders not only for themselves but also for their children. In any violent intimate relationship the nature of the violence may be limited or the victim may experience various types of violence (Davis 2008). Because there are many differing opinions about what is actually considered violent, it can be difficult to describe (Ximena & Stuart 1999). According to the Australian Institute of Criminology (2016) there are...... middle of paper......ser feels like he is losing control. There can be fatal repercussions after separation as those who leave are more likely to be victims of homicide than those who are not separated, which is made even more likely if the victim begins seeing another partner (Sheehan et. al 2015) . support services and community care have created positive and crucial advances in how it is addressed, particularly as it relates to women. Understanding the circumstances, how and why these deadly attacks occur has been the primary concern of government bodies and communities, in order to help victims and discourage further intimate violence. Although extensive research has been conducted in the field of domestic violence and consequently homicides, there is still a great difficulty in evaluating the different elements involved and therefore a great need to improve current information.