title: Exposure to Genocide as a Risk Factor for Homicide Perpetration in Rwanda: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.
abstract: A population-based case-control study was conducted to assess the relationship between genocide exposure and homicide perpetration in Rwanda. A sample of 150 homicide perpetrators who were charged with and confessed to having committed homicide between 1 May 2011 and 31 May 2013 and 450 controls were enrolled. Cases were matched to controls by neighborhood, age and sex. Socio-demographic, background and genocide-related information was collected from study subjects' next of kin. Four characteristics of genocide exposure were: genocide survivor, genocide perpetrator, having lost a first-degree relative to genocide and having a first-degree relative convicted of genocide. We assessed the impact of each genocide-exposure variable using conditional logistic regression. Of the 150 cases, 124 (82.7%) were male and 26 (17.3%) were female. The mean age of the alleged homicide perpetrators was 33 years, with a peak in the age group 20-29 years (39.3%). After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and past common criminal records, having a first-degree relative who had been convicted of genocide crimes was a significant predictor for homicide perpetration (odds ratio [OR] = 14.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6-129.4). Being a genocide perpetrator, a genocide survivor and having lost a first-degree family member to genocide were not identified as risk factors for homicide perpetration. In Rwanda, young people who experienced early exposure to trauma by witnessing their first-degree relatives' active participation in the genocide, are more likely to commit homicide. Socio-economic and psychotherapeutic programs targeting this population group are needed to rehabilitate these young people for violent behavior change.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda.|2 Rwanda National Police, Forensic Medicine and Coordination Office of "Isange" One Stop Centers for Victims of Gender Based Violence and Victims of Child Abuse, Kigali, Rwanda.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rubanzana
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda.|3 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Bethany L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hedt-Gauthier
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ntaganira
authors.affiliation: 4 Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.|5 Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.|6 Aarhus University, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D063365:Genocide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012107:Research Design; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012432:Rwanda; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: homicide perpetration; manslaughter; murder; risk factors