The Silent Epidemic of Femicide in the United States (trigger warning!!)
(appalling, essential read. over two years old, but possibly even worse in these misogynist, christofascist, theocratic days)
Photo of person's hand wearing purple glove and holding a purple ribbon, symbol of fight against femicide and gender violence
The Silent Epidemic of Femicide in the United States (trigger warning)
March 10, 2023
Sanctuary for Families
Last summer, New Yorkers were rattled by the devastating, senseless murder of Azsia Johnson — a 20-year-old victim of domestic violence who was shot while walking her three-month-old baby on the Upper East Side. Contrary to initial speculation, this was not a random killing — a few days after the shooting, the child’s father was arrested and charged with Azsia’s murder. According to her mother, Azsia’s ex-boyfriend physically abused her while pregnant with their child and continued to stalk and threaten her for months. Though shocking and infuriating, Johnson’s case is sadly just one of many instances of fatal violence against women.
FEMICIDE IS PREVALENT IN US
************In the United States, femicide — the gender-based killing of women — is often thought of as an issue affecting low-income countries. This could not be further from the truth; a study on female homicide victimization among 25 populous high-income countries found that 70% of all cases occurred in the U.S. ************* To put that into perspective, on a global scale, the U.S. ranks 34th for intentional female homicides at a rate of 2.6 killings per 100,000 women. Moreover, in the US, almost three women are killed by an intimate partner every day. Just as in the case of Aszia Johnson, women in the U.S. are predominantly killed by men they know, and largely by current or former intimate partners. Of all female homicides in 2018 in which the victim-to-offender relationship could be identified, 92% of victims were killed by a man they knew, and 63% were killed by current husbands, boyfriends, or ex-husbands. These staggering statistics demonstrate the misogyny behind these violent deaths — In the United States, like in so many countries across the world, women are being murdered because they are women.
The link between gender and violence in the U.S. becomes even more apparent when looking at the demographics of male homicides. Men are significantly more likely to be killed by a stranger than women; strangers kill 29% of male homicide victims compared to only 10% of female victims. And while it is true that some men are murdered by their female partners, intimate partner violence accounts for only about 5% of male homicides. Too often, these occur in the context of women acting in self-defense against their abusive male partners. Furthermore, when compared to male homicides, femicides tend to be more violent and intimate in nature — women are less likely than men to be killed in a shooting, but more likely to be beaten, stabbed, or strangled.
Trans women and women of color face a disproportionate risk
When considering femicide and its implications, we must acknowledge the barriers and disparities affecting marginalized women and how these increase the risk of violence. Though femicide is a pervasive problem for all women, the reality for women of color is even bleaker — men are murdering Black women and girls at a rate almost three times higher than white women. For indigenous women and girls, the homicide rate is six times higher than it is for their white counterparts, and current or former partners are responsible for 94% of those homicides. Despite being murdered at higher rates, Black and brown murdered and missing women are not receiving the same media attention and resources as white women.The transgender community is also profoundly affected by femicide, especially trans women of color. 2021 was the deadliest year globally for murders of trans people, and 96% of those victims were trans women or transfeminine people. Of the known cases of anti-trans murders from 2013-2018, approximately 1 in 6 are suspected of having been committed by an intimate partner.
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https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/femicide-epidemic/