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Key Points
- The NSW police commissioner has faced backlash for describing an alleged double murder as a “crime of passion”.
- Webb has since clarified she was distinguishing the type of crime as one of “domestic nature”.
- Advocates against domestic violence say the term’s use is “irresponsible”, stressing the importance of language.
“So I again say my apologies, if that word upset people, and it wasn’t intended that way, it was intended to distinguish it from a gay hate crime.”
However, experts argue the comments highlight an important flaw in our language. So why is the use of this term creating a stir?
What is a ‘crime of passion’ and its use as a legal defence?
The NSW Crimes Act states if extreme provocation is established the person will be convicted of manslaughter not murder, resulting in shorter maximum prison penalties.
Why do domestic violence advocates object so strongly to this term?
“Using this term minimises the seriousness of this violent crime, which is what domestic violence is — in this circumstance, a murder has been committed — and there’s no provocation or justification for that,” he told SBS News.
Every year, around 20 per cent of homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner, according to Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).
Fileborn said the violent acts point to a wider pattern, including a sense of entitlement over another person, and were often driven by power inequalities.
Language matters, with high DV rates in LGBTIQ+ community
She said these concerns can be heightened when used by people in the justice system, as they are perceived as the authority to investigate and hold people to account.
