NCJ Number
153081
Journal
Criminology Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (November 1994) Pages: 2-6
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines murders of gays as a political issue in New South Wales (Australia), "homosexual panic" as a defense for such crimes, male honor as a factor in such crimes, and the criminal justice response to them.
Abstract
Gay murders have elicited a discernible political response in New South Wales, as recent homicides that involve gay victims have had severe sentences imposed, along with judicial warnings against the perpetrators of this form of violence. Despite these positive developments, a growing number of trials have involved defendants offering defenses based on provocation or self-defense to repel a sexual assault by the deceased. Defending counsel have often been successful in having murder charges reduced to a finding of manslaughter. A considerable body of crime research suggests that many disputes between males that result in serious injuries and death are prompted by overreactions to trivial or minor affronts that challenge male honor. The circumstances of some recent gay murders suggest that the preservation of the male "honor" of the assailant is a critical aspect of the motivation for violence. Both society in general and the criminal justice system in particular must challenge the masculine values that breed contempt for gays and establish the climate for attacks and murders against them. 19 references