United Nations — The deadliest place for women is the home, with an average of 140 women and girls killed by intimate partners or family members per day last year, two U.N. agencies said Monday.
Globally, intimate partners or family members will be responsible for the deaths of an estimated 51,100 women and girls in 2023, UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime say. This is an increase from approximately 48,800 victims in 2022.
The report, released on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, said the increase was primarily due to more data being available in the country and not a result of more murders.
However, the two organizations emphasized that “women and girls around the world continue to be affected by these extreme forms of gender-based violence, and no region is excluded.” And they said, “Home is the most dangerous place for women and girls.”
The report estimated that Africa was the region with the highest incidence of intimate partner and family killings, with an estimated 21,700 victims by 2023. Africa also had the highest number of victims relative to its population size. That is, there were 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.
Last year, in the Americas, the number of female victims was high at 1.6 per 100,000 people, and in Oceania, the rate was high at 1.5 per 100,000 people. Victimization rates were significantly lower in Asia at 0.8 per 100,000, and in Europe at 0.6 per 100,000.
According to the report, intentional killings of women in private areas in Europe and the Americas are primarily carried out by intimate partners.
On the other hand, most male murders are said to occur outside the home or family.
“Despite the majority of homicide victims being men and boys, women and girls are still disproportionately affected by lethal violence in the private sector,” the report said.
“In 2023, approximately 80% of all murder victims were male and 20% were female. But lethal violence within the family takes a much greater toll on women than men, with nearly 60% of all women intentionally killed in 2023. “Intimate partner/family member murder.”
The report said that despite countries’ efforts to prevent the killings of women and girls, their murder rates “remain alarmingly high.”
“These incidents are often repeated incidents of gender-based violence,” the two organizations said. “This means that it can be prevented through timely and effective intervention.”
