Femicide: Targeting women because they’re women

MANILA, Philippines—Every 10 minutes in 2023, a woman or girl lost her life at the hands of an intimate partner or family member — a chilling reminder of the unrelenting violence women face worldwide.

Femicide, or feminicide in some cases, refers to the intentional killing of a woman or girl because of their gender. Unlike regular homicides, which may not have a gender-based reason, femicides are often linked to deep-rooted discrimination, unequal power between men and women, harmful social norms, and stereotypes that devalue women.

According to UN Women, these factors create an environment that breeds violence against women.

“It is the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women and girls which occurs on a continuum of multiple and related forms of violence, at home, in workplaces, schools or public spaces, including intimate partner violence, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence, harmful practices, and trafficking,” UN Women explained.

Unfortunately, a UN report titled “Femicides in 2023: Global estimates of intimate partner/family member femicides” revealed that femicide remains alarmingly widespread worldwide, with 85,000 women and girls killed intentionally in 2023.

Of these, 60 percent of the cases — or 51,100 — were perpetrated by an intimate partner or family member. This translates to 140 women and girls being killed every day by a partner or close family member, meaning one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.

Africa recorded the highest number of intimate partner or family-related femicides, with 21,700 women and girls killed, followed by Asia with 18,500 cases. The Americas reported 8,300 cases, while Europe and Oceania had much lower numbers at 2,300 and 300, respectively.

When adjusted for population size, Africa also had the highest rate, with 2.9 femicides per 100,000 women, reflecting a severe level of violence. The Americas and Oceania followed with rates of 1.6 and 1.5, while Asia and Europe had the lowest rates at 0.8 and 0.6.

Home: Most dangerous place for women, girls

UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted the gendered nature of homicide in their report.

While men made up 80 percent of all homicide victims in 2023, most of these killings occurred outside the home, often in public spaces.

In contrast, for women and girls, the home remains the most dangerous place. At least 60.2 percent of female homicide victims were killed by intimate partners or family members, compared to just 11.8 percent of male homicide victims.

“The vast majority of intentional killings of women and girls worldwide are perpetrated by intimate partners or other family members,” the UN Women and UNODC stressed.

“This suggests that the home remains the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of the risk of lethal victimization,” the UN agencies added.

The proportion of femicides committed by intimate partners or other family members varies across regions worldwide. Globally, however, over half — 55 percent — of these killings were carried out by other family members, while 45 percent were perpetrated by intimate partners.

Latest femicide data in PH

Unfortunately, the most recent data from the UNODC’s homicide dataset on femicide in the Philippines only goes until 2019. That year, 27 women were killed by either an intimate partner or a family member, showing a significant decline from 79 cases in 2016.

Looking closer at the numbers, 2019 recorded 17 women killed by intimate partners and 10 by other family members. In comparison, earlier years like 2016 showed much higher figures, with 35 women killed by intimate partners and 44 by family members.

This steady decline over the years suggests a broader trend. Still, it also raises important questions about whether it signifies real progress in safeguarding women or if it points to potential underreporting — an issue emphasized by UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.

According to Bahous and Waly, a deeply concerning trend suggests that the focus on addressing femicide may have diminished in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since 2020, the number of countries reporting or publishing data on the killing of women by intimate partners or other family members has decreased by 50 percent,” they said in the report.

“Yet, more and better data are needed for a deeper understanding of the issue and its magnitude, and in order to develop and implement more effective prevention and response strategies,” they added.

Violence against women persists in PH

The lack of available data on femicide cases in the Philippines may leave the issue shrouded in uncertainty. However, the persistently high numbers of reported violence against women could serve as a warning sign, reflecting risks closely linked to femicide in the country.

The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defined violence against women or VAW as “any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public and private life.”

“Gender-based violence is any violence inflicted on women because of their sex,” it added.

This concern is echoed in the UN report on femicides in 2023, which highlighted that in France, the killing of women is not a series of isolated incidents but the tragic culmination of ongoing patterns of violence, including domestic abuse, harassment, and other forms of violence against women

“When focusing on the most prevalent form of femicide in France, that is the killing of women by their intimate partners, it is clear that such killings can follow a culmination of ongoing domestic violence: 37 percent of women were killed by their intimate partner after the victim had reported previous sexual, physical or psychological violence by her partner,” the report detailed.

“It is particularly important to monitor such situations as specific preventative measures can be taken by competent authorities,” the report continued.

In the Philippines, violence against women continues to be a widespread social issue. According to the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence at the hands of their current or most recent husband or intimate partner.

According to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), violence against women includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

• Physical violence or the act that includes bodily harm
• Sexual violence or the act that is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or her child
• Psychological violence or the act or omission that causes or is likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the victim
• Economic abuse or the act that makes or attempts to make a woman financially dependent

The 2022 NDHS sheds light on how violence against women affects different age groups in the country. Emotional violence is the most common, affecting 1 in 7 women overall (14.0 percent), or approximately 2,692 out of 19,228 women.

Women aged 40–49 are the most vulnerable, with 1 in 6 (16.5 percent), or 768 out of 4,657 women, reporting such experiences.

Physical violence impacts about 1 in 10 women (9.8 percent) overall, or 1,885 out of 19,228 women, with notable variation by age:

• Women aged 30–39 have the highest rate at 1 in 8 (11.9 percent), affecting 598 out of 5,030 women.
• For women aged 15–19, the rate is 1 in 13 (7.6 percent), or 279 out of 3,678 women.

Sexual violence is less prevalent, affecting around 1 in 67 women (1.5 percent), or 288 out of 19,228 women. Younger women face higher risks:

• Among women aged 20–24, 1 in 50 (2.0 percent), or 65 out of 3,228 women, reported experiencing sexual violence.
• For women aged 40–49, the rate is lower at 1 in 83 (1.2 percent), or 56 out of 4,657 women.

Combined physical and sexual violence affects about 1 in 37 women (2.7 percent), or 520 out of 19,228 women. This also varies by age:

• Among women aged 25–29, the rate is 1 in 31 (3.2 percent), or 84 out of 2,635 women.
• For women aged 15–19, it is 1 in 71 (1.4 percent), or 51 out of 3,678 women.

In addition to the data reported by the PSA, the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 8,055 cases of violence against women and their children in 2023. These cases fall under Republic Act No. 9262, commonly known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.

Under RA 9262, violence against women refers to “any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.”

In its statement for the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women last year, the PCW acknowledged that despite significant progress made over the years, much work remains. They stressed that the path toward equality is still long and challenging.

“Nonetheless, there is still hope, as every Filipino has the power to help end VAW, and OUR TIME TO ACT IS NOW. With the goal to be a VAW-free country, the Philippines — being the most gender-equal country in Asia and ranking 25th out of 146 economies in this year’s Global Gender Gap Index — has been working tirelessly to make gender equality a lived reality,” said the government agency.

VAW: Preventable, not inevitable

Global data indicates that, despite efforts by countries to prevent femicide, these incidents remain alarmingly high. It also highlights that since many of these cases stem from repeated episodes of gender-based violence, they are preventable through timely and effective interventions.

“Violence against women and girls is not inevitable — it is preventable. We need robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women’s rights organizations and institutional bodies,” said Bahous.

“The new femicide report highlights the urgent need for strong criminal justice systems that hold perpetrators accountable, while ensuring adequate support for survivors, including access to safe and transparent reporting mechanisms,” added Waly.

Here’s a condensed and more accessible summary of the ideas in the document:

According to UN Women and UNODC, efforts to prevent gender-based violence, particularly femicide, have taken many forms globally. These measures generally fall into six key strategies:

• Education is key to changing attitudes. Programs now focus on teaching kids — both boys and girls — about respect, equality, and what healthy relationships should look like, challenging old norms and stereotypes.
• Many countries have strengthened their laws, treating femicide as a separate crime with harsher penalties to reflect the unique dynamics behind these killings.
• Some nations have created specialized teams in their police forces and legal systems to handle cases of violence against women, making investigations and prosecutions more effective.
• Collaboration between agencies like the police, health care providers, and social workers ensures better communication and support for victims, especially in domestic violence cases.
• Movements like “Ni Una Menos” and “Me Too” have brought public attention to violence against women, sparking conversations and demanding accountability from society.
• Governments and civil society groups are exerting effort in tracking and analyzing data on femicide. This helps paint a clearer picture of the problem and informs better strategies to address it.

Innovative strategies like risk assessments for victims, protective orders, and stricter controls on firearms are also helping. However, deeply ingrained societal norms and stereotypes mean real change requires long-term commitment and action.

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