“140 women per day”: A “terrifying” statistic on domestic violence victims

A UN statistic revealed that at least 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed worldwide in 2023, indicating that 60% of these crimes were linked to domestic violence.

According to data released Monday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, most women were killed by family members, warning of a “major risk” due to the rise in these crimes.

The report stated that 60% of the murders, equivalent to 140 women per day or one every ten minutes, were committed by spouses or other family members.

Based on data from 107 countries, the report highlighted that this phenomenon transcends geographical boundaries and affects all social classes and age groups. The most affected regions are the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa, followed by Asia.

In the Americas and Europe, the perpetrator is often a partner, while in other parts of the world, it is usually a family member, according to the report.

The report also noted that many victims had experienced physical or psychological violence before the murder. These crimes could be prevented through legal measures or court orders.

It emphasized that the rate of femicides has remained stable or slightly decreased since 2010, reflecting the difficulty of addressing this issue due to its normalization in society.

The Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, called on governments to strengthen legislation and improve data collection to combat this phenomenon effectively.