Threats of fire in the context of domestic and family violence: views on prevalence, forms and contexts from service providers in Queensland

Abstract

A perpetrator’s use of fire to coerce, control and punish a current or former partner has been the subject of increased attention in media reporting and research, particularly following several high-profile murders of women in Queensland. Building on this, the study set out in this article examines threats of fire in the context of domestic and family violence. These threats may involve the dousing of persons or property with flammable substances (commonly petrol), as well as purely verbal or implicit threats where there is no use of accelerant. This article draws on interview data with 17 Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) non-government service providers collected in 2021 and analyses participants’ views on the prevalence, forms and contexts of threats of fire. It concludes that such threats take a variety of forms, likely occur as part of an escalation of a pattern of previous abusive behaviour, and can be difficult for law enforcement and other service providers to identify. This article identifies the need for better responses to threats of fire and further research into this manifestation of coercive and controlling behaviour.