Date of Webinar: 10th May 2023.
To view the recording please click on the following link. You will then be asked to login to the Member site to continue. These recording are only available to Members of Crime In Mind.
To apply for Membership please visit https://www.crimeinmind.co.uk/join-crime-in-mind/ or contact administrator@crimeinmind.co.uk.
About this webinar:
Filicide, or the killing of one’s child, can be traced back through the centuries. Under the Roman law of ‘Patria Potestas’, fathers were given the right to commit infanticide, but it was a punishable act for mothers. The term the ‘Medea Complex’ was coined by Stern in 1948 and denotes spousal revenge. It originates from the Greek play ‘Medea’ by Euripides, which describes the story of a jealous wife who punishes her husband by killing their children.
Over the years, various typologies have developed to describe the characteristics of the perpetrators of filicide and their victims, and a plethora of theoretical knowledge exists.
There is little written however on the practicalities of managing mentally disordered offenders who commit filicide. Clinically, these patients are often treatment responsive, rapidly responding to medical treatment, only to be faced with the reality of what they have done.
The particularly emotive nature of their offence presents with unique set of challenges for treating teams. These include managing the interpersonal dynamics on a ward, the media interest which surrounds the case and rehabilitation back into the community.
This symposium will provide a background to filicide, with a particular focus on perpetrators with mental illness.
Through case vignettes, complex cases will be discussed and in particular our experiences of managing the practical difficulties for which no guidance exists.
Speakers:
- Dr. Paula Murphy, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, John Howard Centre, East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr. Vivek Bisht, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Locum (North East London NHS Foundation Trust)
- Dr. Rachel Proctor ST6 Forensic Psychiatry (Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Trust)