LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — In the United States, nearly three women are killed by an intimate partner every day. 

Femicide, the gender-based killing of women and girls, is a harrowing reality that plagues the lives of many across the nation in an intimate matter. Each year, thousands of female lives are claimed by this gender-based form of homicide. Despite the prevalence of this issue, the topic of femicide is severely underreported and is not addressed with the attention necessary to catalyze change. 

As the most extreme manifestation of domestic violence, femicide is often rooted in gender inequality and power imbalances. Understanding femicide requires looking beyond individual acts of violence and focusing on the structures within society that perpetuate through inadequate prevention measures. 

Despite efforts to track the amount of gender-related homicides and violent deaths, there is a severe lack of comprehensive surveillance systems that accurately track the annual death rates of femicide. 

Compounding this issue, the U.S. lacks a legal definition of femicide and does not have a penal code dedicated to gender-based homicides. As a result, in many murder cases, the murder of women is not often categorized as being gender-based, a controversial fact given that one in four women in the U.S. will experience violence from their partner in their lifetime. 

Without the reliable data required to understand this issue’s severity fully, society remains willfully unaware. Therefore, it is extremely important to have the most accurate data possible. 

“Inadequate legal frameworks exacerbate the issue by failing to protect victims or deter perpetrators,” said a gender and women studies college professor, who requested anonymity.

Risk factors

In the U.S., men are more likely to be killed by a stranger than women. Only 5% of male homicide victims are killed by a romantic partner, while 63% of female homicide victims were killed by a partner.

The U.S. ranks first for the rates of firearm homicides in high-income countries with populations over 10 million. A 2019 report on gun violence against women revealed that in a typical year, 92% of all women killed with guns from high-income countries were from the U.S. Considering that American civilians make up 46% of civil gun ownership throughout the world, it is evident that gun availability exacerbates violence against women in the U.S.

Analyzing femicide rates requires acknowledging groups of women who face higher risks.

Black women are murdered at a rate three times higher than white women, while indigenous females are being murdered at a rate six times higher than white females. This violence is exacerbated by a lack of media attention on black and indigenous females, leaving victims feeling isolated and allowing femicide rates to climb.

In addition, pregnant and post-partum women experience a heightened risk of domestic violence. The CDC estimates that 6% of post-partum women will experience forms of intimate violence and that 45.3% of female homicides to pregnant or post-partum women happen at the hands of an intimate partner. Not only can this violence lead to loss of life, but it can also lead to increased risk of depression and substance use.

Trans women are also disproportionately affected by violence. Out of the 96% of trans women murders in 2021, an estimated one in six were committed by someone known intimately to the victim.

“Intersectionality highlights how marginalized identities compound vulnerability to violence, creating unique and intersecting risks for different groups of women,” the unnamed professor said.

How can femicide be prevented?

In the U.S., there is an urgent need to battle the pervasive form of violence that is femicide. Many methods can be enforced in society that will allow for decreased violence against women. 

Education can challenge harmful gender roles by teaching respect and equality from a young age, which can lower gender-based discrimination. Additionally, education regarding the rate at which women experience violence can raise awareness in children and teenagers, the future of our society, in hopes of preventing such violence.

Moreover, it is important to bring attention to all cases of violence against women. By doing so, more women are likely to feel safe enough to speak up about their abuse experiences, which is an important healing step.

Victim blaming needs to stop, and abusers need to be held accountable. 

To support women experiencing domestic abuse or violence and families of femicide victims, individuals can contribute monetary donations to relief funds. Supporting local organizations or charities to tackle violence and gender inequality is a key step to empowering women and preventing femicide.

“Love is precious, but my safety is priceless,” Shraddha Kode, a sophomore at Los Alamitos High School, said.