UN Report Highlights Home as the Most Dangerous Place for Women and Girls
The deadliest environment for women continues to be their own homes, according to a concerning report released by UN Women and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime. On average, 140 women and girls were killed by an intimate partner or family member each day in 2023. The report indicates that approximately 51,100 women and girls fell victim to such violence last year, marking a slight increase from an estimated 48,800 victims in 2022. This rise in numbers is attributed to improved data reporting rather than an actual increase in killings.
Launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the report underscores that women and girls around the globe continue to face severe threats from intimate partners and family members, highlighting no region as exempt from these harrowing statistics. Africa reported the highest number of intimate partner and family-related killings in 2023, with an estimated 21,700 victims, translating to 29 victims per 100,000 people in the population. The Americas and Oceania followed with high rates of violence, recording 16 and 15 female victims per 100,000, respectively. In contrast, regions like Asia and Europe had significantly lower rates, at 0.8 and 0.6 victims per 100,000.
The report stresses that while the majority of homicide victims tend to be men—accounting for 80% of the total—women experience a disproportionate rate of lethal violence in the home. Nearly 60% of the women intentionally killed in 2023 were victims of homicide at the hands of intimate partners or family members. Moreover, the nature of these murders suggests they are often the tragic culmination of ongoing gender-based violence, which indicates that they could potentially be prevented with timely and effective interventions.
Despite ongoing efforts by various countries to curb violence against women and girls, the report reveals alarmingly high levels of such killings persist. The agencies involved in the report emphasize the need for coordinated action to confront and mitigate gender-based violence, which remains a pressing global crisis affecting women and girls in various communities worldwide.
Related Sources: