Although the term homicide is sometimes used synonymously with [[murder]], homicide is broader in scope than murder. Murder is a form of [[criminal]] homicide; other forms of homicide might not constitute criminal acts. These homicides are regarded as justified or excusable. For example, individuals may, in a necessary act of Self-Defense, kill a person who threatens them with death or serious injury, or they may be commanded or authorized by law to kill a person who is a member of an enemy force or who has committed a serious crime. Typically, the circumstances surrounding a killing determine whether it is criminal. The intent of the killer usually determines whether a criminal homicide is classified as murder or [[Manslaughter]] and at what degree.<ref>https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/homicide</ref>
Domestic violence homicide accounts for about 15% of all homicides, with about 14% being stranger-on-stranger. About one-third of the victims were acquaintances of the assailant, with the remainder of cases the relationship between victim and offender undetermined.
Men are far more likely to kill other men than they are to kill women, though women are over twice as likely to kill men as they are to kill other women. Because men do the lion’s share (89.6%) of the murdering, this works out to 32.6% of homicides involving an offender and victim of opposite sex and 67.4% involving people of the same sex.