A new report released by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women reveals a stark reality: the home is the most dangerous place for women and girls, The Associated Press reports.
An estimated 51,100 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members in 2023, a slight increase from 2022. This translates to an average of 140 women and girls murdered every day.
While the increase is largely attributed to improved data collection, the agencies stressed the alarmingly high and persistent levels of gender-based violence globally.
Africa bore the brunt of this violence, accounting for an estimated 21,700 victims in 2023 – the highest number globally, and a rate of 2.9 victims per 100,000 people. The Americas and Oceania also reported high rates, at 1.6 and 1.5 victims per 100,000 respectively. Asia and Europe had significantly lower rates, at 0.8 and 0.6 per 100,000.
The report highlights a key disparity: in Europe and the Americas, intimate partners are the primary perpetrators of femicides within the home. In contrast, the majority of male homicides occur outside the domestic sphere.
UN Women’s Deputy Executive Director, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, attributed the persistent trend to unaddressed underlying issues such as deeply ingrained gender stereotypes and harmful social norms. She emphasized the need for those in positions of power – economic, political, and traditional – to actively utilize their influence to prevent violence, rather than perpetuate it.
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