What is femicide? Thanks for asking!

Many countries reported increased gender-based violence during recent coronavirus lockdowns. Femicides are the most extreme form of such crimes against women, and they have been on the rise for many years now. The term dates back centuries, but has taken on a new meaning in recent decades, with feminists placing emphasis on the specific nature and intent of femicide. It has gradually been adopted by international organisations like the United Nations and World Health Organisation.

If a man kills a woman, is it automatically a femicide then?

The murder of a woman isn’t always femicide, even if committed by a man. Femicide refers specifically to murders carried out because the victim is a woman. The WHO published an information sheet on the subject in 2012, providing details of several different types of cases. The most common is intimate femicide, which is committed by a current partner or ex partner. Worldwide, these account for 35% of all murders of women in the world. A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that 87,000 women were murdered in 2017, with 58% being killed by an intimate partner or family member. By the same logic, non-intimate femicide is when the murderer and victim do not have an intimate relationship. This includes killings linked to a sexual assault and antifeminist murders, for example. Other types of femicide include dowry-related murders and honour killings. 

Are there specific laws on femicide? How the victime can get justice? ⁠In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!⁠

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First Broadcast: 25/6/2020

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