Same-sex partner murders rare but real

Gay people strangle, stab and bludgeon their partners just like those in opposite sex relationships.

But a study of same-sex intimate partner murder says it's actually a rarity.

The Australian Institute of Criminology study drew data on the little-examined topic of same-sex partner homicides from the National Homicide Monitoring Program, which has been running since 1989/90.

In that period, there have been more than 6200 murders across Australia, about a quarter being intimate partner homicides, overwhelmingly involving those in opposite-sex relationships.

About two per cent involved gay couples, with 33 victims. Just four victims were female.

That's comparable to data from the US.

Study authors Alexandra Gannon and Tracy Cussen said that was probably an underestimate, with some cases likely recorded by police as involving friends or acquaintances.

They identified a range of motives, including jealousy, revenge, relationship termination and even mercy killing.

But the major reason, involving a quarter of cases, was just the same as for opposite-sex murders - a domestic row which ended in death.

There were some other differences.

Not one same-sex partner homicide involved shooting, compared with 20 per cent for opposite-sex partner murders.

But 100 per cent of female same-sex murder victims were stabbed. That's still a low number of four.

Male same-sex murders involved suffocation or strangling (29 per cent), beating (18 per cent) and even being run down by a car (seven per cent).