a woman is killed by a loved one every 10 minutes worldwide

According to a report published this Monday, November 25, 60% of women killed worldwide in 2023 were victims of their spouse or a member of their family.

The UN speaks of “an alarming level”. According to figures published by the United Nations this Monday, November 25, the international day against violence against women, at least 85,000 women and young girls were intentionally killed around the world in 2023, most of them by relatives.

“The home remains the most dangerous place” for women, 60% of them having been victims of “their spouse or other members of their family”, notes this report from the Vienna Office of the United Nations against Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the New York organization UN Women. This represents 140 women killed by a loved one every day or one every 10 minutes.

This phenomenon “crosses borders, affects all social categories and age groups”, with the Caribbean, Central America and Africa being the most affected regions ahead of Asia. On the American continent and in Europe, femicides are mainly perpetrated by the partner, while in the rest of the world it is family members who are most often involved.

“Many murders could be avoided”

Many victims reported physical, sexual or psychological violence before their death, according to data available in certain countries, including France.

“This suggests that many murders could have been avoided”, underlines the study, for example by “judicial injunction measures”.

In regions where it is possible to establish a trend, the rate of femicide has stagnated or declined only slightly since 2010, demonstrating that this form of violence “is rooted in practices and norms” and is difficult to eradicate, notes the UNODC which analyzed the figures collected in 107 countries.

Despite the efforts undertaken in several countries, “feminicides remain at an alarming level”, note the authors. But “this is not inevitable”, according to the director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, quoted in a press release, who calls on countries to toughen up the legislative arsenal and better collect data.