The UN speaks of “an alarming level.” According to figures published by the United Nations this Monday, November 25, international day against violence against women, at least 85,000 women and girls were intentionally murdered around the world in 2023, most of them at the hands of family members.
“The home remains the most dangerous place” for women, since 60% of them have been victims of “their spouse or other members of their family,” notes this report from the Vienna Office of the United Nations against Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the New York organization UN Women. This represents 140 women killed by a loved one every day or one every 10 minutes.
This phenomenon “crosses borders, affecting all social categories and age groups,” with the Caribbean, Central America and Africa being the most affected regions ahead of Asia. In the American continent and Europe, femicides are perpetrated mainly by the couple, while in the rest of the world it is family members who are most involved.
“Many murders could be avoided”
Many victims reported physical, sexual or psychological violence before dying, according to data available in certain countries, including France.
“This suggests that many murders could have been prevented,” the study underlines, for example through “judicial injunction measures.”
In regions where it is possible to establish a trend, the feminicide rate has stagnated or decreased slightly since 2010, demonstrating that this form of violence “is rooted in practices and norms” and is difficult to eradicate, notes the UNODC, which analyzed the figures collected in 107 countries.
Despite the efforts made in several countries, “femicides continue to be at an alarming level,” the authors point out. But “this is not inevitable,” according to the director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, quoted in a press release, which calls on countries to strengthen the legislative arsenal and better collect data.
Source: BFM TV
