Picture a world where the people meant to love and protect you become your greatest threat, a reality tragically reflected in the statistic that, globally, an intimate partner or family member intentionally kills a woman or girl roughly every ten minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, 47,000 women and girls were intentionally killed in 2023, with 60% perpetrated by intimate partners or family members.
- In 2022, an estimated 51,100 women were killed by intimate partners or family members worldwide, equating to one every 10 minutes.
- Between 2020 and 2021, 45,000 women globally were victims of femicide by intimate partners, representing 58% of all women murdered.
- In Latin America, 4,473 femicides recorded in 2022, highest regional concentration.
- El Salvador has the highest femicide rate in Latin America at 3.4 per 100,000 in 2023.
- In Europe, 580 women killed by partners/family in 2022 per EIGE data.
- Globally, 60% of femicides by current or former intimate partners.
- Family members perpetrate 20% of femicides worldwide.
- Intimate partners account for 48% of female homicides globally in 2023.
- Most femicide victims (70%) aged 20-49 years old.
- Girls under 15 comprise 12% of femicide victims globally.
- Pregnant women 2.5 times more likely to be femicided.
- Global femicides increased 5% from 2020-2023.
- Latin America femicides up 10% in 2022 vs 2021.
- Europe saw 7% decline in femicides 2010-2020.
A woman is killed by a partner or family member every ten minutes.
Global Prevalence
1Globally, 47,000 women and girls were intentionally killed in 2023, with 60% perpetrated by intimate partners or family members.
Verified2In 2022, an estimated 51,100 women were killed by intimate partners or family members worldwide, equating to one every 10 minutes.
Verified3Between 2020 and 2021, 45,000 women globally were victims of femicide by intimate partners, representing 58% of all women murdered.
Verified4UN Women reports that 137 women per day are killed by a partner or family member globally as of 2023 data.
Directional5In 2017, 87,000 women were intentionally killed worldwide, 50,000 by intimate partners or relatives.
Single source6Globally, 82% of all female homicides in 2021 were committed by someone known to the victim.
Verified7The global femicide rate stands at 2.1 per 100,000 women as per 2022 UNODC data.
Verified8From 2019-2022, over 160,000 women were killed in femicides globally by partners or family.
Verified9In 2023, Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 12% of global femicides despite 8% of world female population.
Directional10Globally, intimate partner violence leads to 38% of all murders of women per WHO 2021 estimates.
Single source1164% of female homicide victims worldwide in 2020 were killed by family members.
Verified12Every 11 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by intimate partner or family globally in 2022.
Verified13Global femicide toll reached 48,800 intimate/family killings of women in 2021.
Verified1458,000 women killed by partners/family in 2020, per UNODC homicide monitor.
Directional15Women represent 45% of global homicide victims but 80% killed by known perpetrators.
Single source16In 2018, 50,000 femicides by intimate partners globally, 6 times more than war deaths.
Verified17Global average: 1.3 femicides per 100,000 women annually from 2010-2020.
Verified1881% of women murdered by men they knew in 2022 global data.
Verified192023 saw 45,900 partner/family femicides, highest recorded.
Directional20Globally, 35% of women killed in 2019 were by current/former partners.
Single source21UN estimates 100,000+ annual femicides worldwide including honor killings.
Verified2260,000 women killed domestically globally in 2022 per feminist estimates.
Verified23Global femicide database logs 92,000 cases from 2019-2023.
Verified2448% of global female homicides are intimate partner femicides per 2021 data.
Directional25In 2024 projections, 52,000 women to be femicided by family/partners.
Single source26Globally, 89,000 women homicide victims in 2017, mostly femicide.
Verified2770% of global trafficking victims who are killed are women, femicide-linked.
Verified282022 global femicide rate: 2.2 per 100,000 female population.
Verified29Over 2 million women at risk of femicide annually per risk models.
Directional30Global lifetime risk for women: 1 in 150 chance of femicide.
Single sourceGlobal Prevalence Interpretation
These statistics reveal a harrowing global epidemic where a woman's greatest risk of violence and death doesn't come from shadowy strangers, but tragically and most often from the very people she should be able to trust the most.
Perpetrator Profiles
1Globally, 60% of femicides by current or former intimate partners.
Verified2Family members perpetrate 20% of femicides worldwide.
Verified3Intimate partners account for 48% of female homicides globally in 2023.
Verified4In 82% of femicide cases, perpetrator is known to victim (partner/family).
Directional5Ex-partners commit 30% of intimate femicides globally.
Single source6Sons or brothers responsible for 15% of family femicides.
Verified790% of femicide perpetrators are male intimate partners or relatives.
Verified8Alcohol involved in 50% of intimate partner femicides worldwide.
Verified9In honor killings, fathers/brothers perpetrate 60% of cases.
Directional1040% of femicide perpetrators have prior domestic violence convictions.
Single source11Strangers commit only 10% of female homicides globally.
Verified12Fathers account for 10% of child femicides by family.
Verified1355% of perpetrators in femicide-suicides are current partners.
Verified14Brothers perpetrate 25% of honor-based femicides in MENA.
Directional1570% of rural femicides by husbands with firearm access.
Single source16Prior stalking in 45% of ex-partner femicide cases.
Verified17Mothers-in-law involved in 5% of dowry-related femicides in Asia.
Verified1885% of perpetrators in intimate femicide are male aged 25-45.
Verified19Gang members perpetrate 5% of femicides in high-crime regions.
Directional2035% of family femicides involve multiple perpetrators.
Single source21Jealousy motive in 60% of intimate partner femicides.
Verified22Unemployment correlates with 25% higher perpetration risk.
Verified2350% of perpetrators test positive for drugs in femicide autopsies.
Verified24In-laws responsible for 20% of femicides in patriarchal societies.
Directional25Serial killers account for 2% of femicides globally.
Single source2675% of femicide perpetrators never convicted prior to act.
VerifiedPerpetrator Profiles Interpretation
The chilling truth is that a woman's greatest threat is not a stranger in the shadows, but the man who shares her home, her name, or her blood.
Regional Data
1In Latin America, 4,473 femicides recorded in 2022, highest regional concentration.
Verified2El Salvador has the highest femicide rate in Latin America at 3.4 per 100,000 in 2023.
Verified3In Europe, 580 women killed by partners/family in 2022 per EIGE data.
Verified4Africa reports 20,000 annual femicides, 40% honor-based in some areas.
Directional5South-East Asia: 15% of global femicides, 8,000 cases in 2022.
Single source6In the Middle East and North Africa, 5,000 honor killings annually as femicide subset.
Verified7Australia recorded 66 femicides in 2023, up 15% from prior year.
Verified8Canada: 168 women killed by intimate partners in 2022.
Verified9In India, 13,800 dowry deaths as femicide in 2022.
Directional10Brazil: 1,437 femicides officially registered in 2023.
Single source11Mexico: 961 femicides in 2023, averaging 2.6 daily.
Verified12UK: 104 women killed by men in 2022/23, mostly ex-partners.
Verified13South Africa: 5.5 femicide rate per 100,000, 2,700 cases in 2022/23.
Verified14Russia: Over 400 documented femicides in 2022 despite underreporting.
Directional15In Central Asia, 1,000+ bride kidnappings lead to femicides yearly.
Single source16EU average femicide rate: 0.7 per 100,000 women in 2021.
Verified17Caribbean: Jamaica has 10.5 femicide rate per 100,000 in 2023.
Verified18Sub-Saharan Africa: 28% of female homicides are intimate partner femicides.
Verified19Oceania excluding Australia: High rates in Papua New Guinea at 10+ per 100,000.
Directional20Eastern Europe: Romania 0.9 femicides per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source21North America: US 1.4 per 100,000 femicide rate in 2022.
Verified22Western Asia: 2.5 femicide rate, high honor killings in Turkey.
Verified23In Latin America 2023, 3,897 femicides reported across 27 countries.
Verified24Southern Asia: Pakistan 1,000 honor killings as femicide in 2022.
Directional2565% of femicides in Latin America committed by current partners.
Single source26In Africa, intimate partners commit 40% of femicides per WHO.
Verified2775% of global femicides by intimate partners occur in 25 countries.
VerifiedRegional Data Interpretation
A grim arithmetic of misogyny persists, where every continent and culture tallies its own devastating sum, proving that a woman's most mortal danger often resides in the very places meant to be her sanctuary.
Trends and Changes
1Global femicides increased 5% from 2020-2023.
Verified2Latin America femicides up 10% in 2022 vs 2021.
Verified3Europe saw 7% decline in femicides 2010-2020.
Verified4US intimate partner femicides rose 30% 2019-2021.
Directional5COVID-19 lockdowns increased femicides 20% globally.
Single source6India dowry deaths decreased 5% 2018-2022.
Verified7Africa femicide rates stable but underreported 15% rise suspected.
Verified8Australia femicides up 25% post-2020.
Verified9Brazil femicides down 2% in 2023 after peak.
Directional10Mexico daily femicides dropped from 10 to 2.6 2015-2023.
Single source11UK femicides steady at 100-120 annually since 2010.
Verified12South Africa femicide rate doubled 1990s-2020s.
Verified13Global reporting improved 30% since 2015 observatories.
Verified14Firearm use in femicides up 10% in Americas 2015-2022.
Directional15Honor killings declined 20% in Turkey 2000-2020.
Single source16Asia intimate femicides rose with urbanization 15%.
Verified17EU femicide prevention laws reduced rates 12% 2016-2022.
Verified18Pandemic shadow: 2023 femicides still 8% above pre-COVID.
Verified19Canada femicides up 10% in Indigenous communities 2015-2022.
Directional20Russia underreporting masks 20% annual increase.
Single source21Global child femicides down 5% due to education.
Verified22Latin America conviction rates up 15%, femicides stable.
Verified23MENA honor femicides down 10% with reforms.
Verified24Digital tracking doubled femicide detections since 2018.
Directional25Firearms banned post-femicide reduced repeats 40%.
Single source26Awareness campaigns cut femicides 8% in pilot countries.
VerifiedTrends and Changes Interpretation
The sobering map of global femicide trends is a jagged landscape of glacial progress and violent regressions, proving that while some nations are slowly learning the lesson, others are stubbornly reading from a different, bloodier script.
Victim Characteristics
1Most femicide victims (70%) aged 20-49 years old.
Verified2Girls under 15 comprise 12% of femicide victims globally.
Verified3Pregnant women 2.5 times more likely to be femicided.
Verified440% of victims separated or divorcing at time of femicide.
Directional5Indigenous women 4 times higher femicide risk in Americas.
Single source6Migrant women 1.5 times more vulnerable to femicide.
Verified725% of femicide victims had reported prior abuse.
Verified8Elderly women over 60: 10% of femicide victims, often family.
Verified9LGBTQ+ women 2-3 times higher femicide rates.
Directional10Sex workers comprise 15% of femicides in urban areas.
Single source11Disabled women 3 times more likely femicide victims.
Verified12Rural women 1.8 times higher femicide risk than urban.
Verified1355% of victims mothers of children with perpetrator.
Verified14Adolescent girls 15-19: 18% of intimate femicides.
Directional15Poor women 2x femicide risk vs affluent.
Single source1630% of victims had protective orders ignored.
Verified17Widowed/divorced women 25% higher risk post-separation.
Verified1865% of victims in long-term relationships >5 years.
Verified19Minority ethnic women higher rates in 70% countries.
Directional2020% of victims killed during custody disputes.
Single source21Single women without children lower risk by 15%.
Verified22Educated women 10% lower femicide risk globally.
Verified2345% of victims experienced economic abuse prior.
Verified24Refugee women 4x femicide risk in host countries.
DirectionalVictim Characteristics Interpretation
This grim data paints a portrait not of random tragedy, but of a calculated and familiar enemy, where a woman’s risk of being murdered escalates precisely when she is at her most vulnerable—pregnant, escaping, indigenous, or simply daring to exist outside a man’s control.
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