The latest data from two U.N. agencies reveals that the home is the most perilous environment for women, with an average of 140 women and girls being killed daily by intimate partners or family members last year. This alarming statistic was highlighted in a report issued on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. According to the findings, there were approximately 51,100 women and girls killed globally in 2023 due to intimate partner or family violence, a rise from the previous year’s estimated figure of 48,800 victims.
The report pointed out that the increase in reported cases can be attributed mainly to improved data availability from various nations rather than a spike in actual killings. Despite this clarification, the two agencies emphasized the severity of the situation, asserting that “women and girls everywhere continue to be affected by this extreme form of gender-based violence and no region is excluded.” They reiterated the alarming fact that “the home is the most dangerous place for women and girls.”
Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related killings, accounting for around 21,700 victims in 2023. Relative to its population size, Africa exhibited a staggering rate of 2.9 victims per 100,000 individuals. The report also highlighted concerning figures in the Americas, with 1.6 female victims per 100,000, and Oceania, which reported 1.5 per 100,000. In contrast, the rates in Asia stood at 0.8 victims per 100,000, while Europe recorded the lowest at 0.6 per 100,000.
It was noted that in both Europe and the Americas, the killings of women in private settings are predominantly perpetrated by intimate partners. This diverges sharply from the patterns observed in male homicides, which primarily occur outside domestic environments. The report stated, “While men and boys represent the majority of homicide victims, women and girls experience a disproportionate level of fatal violence at home.”
Although men constituted about 80% of all homicide victims in 2023, women comprised 20%. However, the impact of lethal violence within familial settings is particularly severe for women, with nearly 60% of female homicide victims being killed by intimate partners or family members. The report conveyed that despite global efforts to curtail the violence against women and girls, the occurrence of such killings remains “alarmingly high.”
The agencies underscored that these homicides frequently stem from ongoing patterns of gender-based violence, suggesting they are preventable through prompt and effective interventions. As they called for urgent action, they reiterated the need to address and mitigate the factors that contribute to domestic violence against women and girls, affirming that such tragedies are preventable with appropriate measures in place.