Femicide: Figures, Causes, and How to Prevent It

qué es el feminicidio

Imagine waking up one day and hearing on the news that another woman has been murdered. It wasn’t a robbery or an accident; it was a murder motivated simply because she was a woman. This tragic reality repeats itself all too often and is called femicide (or feminicide). Although more people are becoming familiar with this term, its true meaning and the devastating figures surrounding it remain unknown to many.

Femicide is one of the most serious and extreme forms of gender-based violence, and understanding it is fundamental to combating it. But why does it keep happening? What are the causes that lead thousands of women to lose their lives every year just because of their gender? Most importantly, what can we do, both individually and collectively, to prevent more women from falling victim to this heinous crime?

This article provides a clear and direct view of current femicide statistics, explores its deepest causes, and shows what measures can be taken to prevent these deaths. Because only by understanding the problem can we act to eradicate it.

What is Femicide?

Femicide is the murder of a woman motivated by gender-based reasons. It is not a simple homicide or an accidental killing, but an act of extreme violence directed specifically at women due to discrimination, chauvinism (machismo), and inequalities that have persisted throughout history. Unlike other crimes, femicide is deeply rooted in the structural oppression that many women face in their daily lives.

This crime reflects the culmination of a cycle of gender-based violence, which may begin with psychological abuse, economic violence, or physical mistreatment, and unfortunately escalate to murder. It is important to understand that femicide does not occur in isolation. In most cases, it is preceded by a history of violence and abuse that has been ignored or minimized by society and, at times, by institutions themselves.

Types of Femicide

Intimate Femicide: Occurs when a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner. This is the most common type.
Non-Intimate Femicide: Occurs when a woman is killed by a man with whom she has no intimate relationship (e.g., a stranger or during sexual assaults).
Femicide by Connection: When a woman is killed because she is linked to another woman who was the original victim (e.g., a mother killed while trying to protect her daughter).
Sexual Femicide: The murder of a woman resulting from a sexual assault.

Causes of Femicide

Femicide is not an impulsive act. It is rooted in social, cultural, and economic structures that perpetuate inequality.

Machismo and Misogyny: The belief that men are superior to women and the hatred or contempt toward them.
Gender Inequality: Lack of access to education, economic independence, and decision-making power.
Prior Gender Violence: Most cases are the end point of a long history of abuse.
Impunity: When aggressors do not face consequences for previous violent acts, it generates a sense that their crimes “don’t matter.”
Normalization of Violence: Perceiving toxic control or verbal aggression as “normal” within a relationship.

How to Prevent Femicide

Preventing femicide requires the collaboration of governments, institutions, and individuals.

Education in Gender Equality: Teaching children respect and empathy from an early age to dismantle machismo.
Strengthening Laws: Implementing clear laws that classify femicide as a specific crime and ensuring swift justice.
Effective Victim Protection: Providing safe shelters, free legal assistance, and psychological support.
Early Reporting: It is vital to create safe environments so women can report abuse without fear.

Note for residents in Spain: If you observe signs of danger, act. The victim assistance number in Spain is 016. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Intervening in time can save lives.

FAQs

What is the difference between femicide and homicide? Femicide is specifically motivated by gender; homicide is the general term for killing a person regardless of motivation.

What laws exist in Spain against femicide? The Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence is the key tool, although the specific term “femicide” is not yet a separate classification in the Spanish Penal Code.

Does femicide only happen in high-violence countries? No. Femicide is a global phenomenon that occurs in all countries, regardless of their level of development.