An estimated 140 women and girls across the world die at the hands of their partner or family member every day, according to new global estimates on femicide by the UN.
The report by UN Women found 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally by men in 2023, with 60% (51,100) of these deaths committed by someone close to the victim. The organisation said its figures showed that, globally, the most dangerous place for a woman to be was in her home, where the majority of women die at the hands of men.
Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, UN Women’s deputy executive director, said: “What the data is telling us is that it is the private and domestic sphere’s of women’s lives, where they should be safest, that so many of them are being exposed to deadly violence.
It would, though, because domestic violence based on gender is a complete different problem from other forms of interpersonal violence with completely different causes. That’s why I said the data was worthless without the equivalent for men, because without that we don’t (based on the report alone, anyway) know whether homes are dangerous for women because homes are just dangerous or because they’re women.
That aside, after skimming through this data, I have to say: This is fucked up. It’s also useful information that clearly shows a correlation relation between being a woman and gender-based violence.
Don’t let this information just exist passively now that you know it. Remember it the next time you hear a guy going off about his crazy ex-girlfriend who’s accusing him of all kinds of stuff. Or when you hear a woman share her story. Or when you see a guy leering at a woman in a public space.
I’m not accusing you of not already recognizing predatory misogynistic behavior for what it is. But the context that the majority of women have experienced these kinds of things is important. When you are safely able to speak up you should. If your friend is abusive to his girlfriend he shouldn’t get to be your friend anymore. Men should face severe social consequences for committing acts of violence against women. The reality is that they don’t.