Finding into death of Monique Anita Lezsak
Deceased
Monique Anita Lezsak
Demographics
39y, female
Date of death
2023-05-30
Finding date
2025-06-12
Cause of death
Multiple stab wounds
AI-generated summary
A 39-year-old woman was fatally stabbed by her partner following relationship separation. The victim had ended the relationship after her partner exhibited escalating coercive and controlling behaviour throughout their relationship, including jealousy, isolation, and threats of self-harm. Within hours of the breakup, the partner attacked her with multiple knives, inflicting 17 sharp force injuries including lethal stab wounds to the neck (transecting the carotid artery and trachea) and chest. Clinical lessons include recognising that perpetrators of intimate partner homicide often lack prior involvement with authorities, exhibit coercive control without physical violence, and pose extreme risk during separation. Healthcare and community workers should understand these risk factors and pathways to fatality, implement screening for family violence including controlling behaviours, and ensure appropriate referrals and safety planning when separation is disclosed.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Intimate partner violence
- Coercive and controlling behaviour by perpetrator
- Relationship separation
- Perpetrator's obsessive jealousy
- Acute escalation following loss of control
- Perpetrator's threat of self-harm and manipulation
Coroner's recommendations
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and Family Safety Victoria work with Respect Victoria and Safe and Equal to deliver a public campaign to educate the broader community beyond service providers to better understand risks posed by perpetrators of family violence, including in the absence of physical violence. Campaign should reach education, health, local community, sports and faith groups, enhance awareness of fatality risks from coercive and controlling behaviour, factors increasing risk such as separation, and provide clear information to victims, friends, family and bystanders about available services.
- Minister for Prevention of Family Violence provide funding for a service designed to provide support to children and young people (and their carers) bereaved by homicide.
Full text
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