History of Femicide in Timeline
Femicide is the intentional killing of women or girls due to their gender. Intimate partners or male family members perpetrate most cases. Root causes include harmful gender roles, stereotypes, religious beliefs like honor killings, social practices, and masculine hegemony, all of which perpetuate gender inequality and male dominance. Femicide committed by women is exceedingly rare.
19 minutes ago : Italy Approves Femicide Law: Life Imprisonment for Gender-Based Murders of Women
The Italian parliament has unanimously approved a law recognizing femicide as a distinct crime, punishable by life imprisonment. Critics are urging Prime Minister Georgia Meloni to address Italy's femicide issue more effectively and to protect women from gender-based violence.
1976: Diana Russell Publicizes the Term Femicide
In 1976, Diana Russell publicized the term "femicide" at the International Tribunal on Crimes against Women in Belgium, defining it as the killing of females by males because they are female.
1982: Female Infanticide in China
In late 1982, the Chinese press indicated that female infanticide was being practiced to circumvent the one-child policy.
1986: Estimated Female Homicides in Mexico
Amnesty International estimates that between 1986 and 2009, there have been around 34,000 female homicides in Mexico.
1989: École Polytechnique massacre
In 1989, the École Polytechnique massacre occurred in Canada, resulting in fourteen women dead, and ten women and four men injured. This act was an antifeminist mass shooting.
1990: Dowry-related deaths in India
From 1990 to 2009, the reported number of dowry-related deaths of women in India almost doubled, from 4,836 to 8,383.
1994: Inter-American Convention on the Prevention and the Eradication of Violence against Women
In 1994, the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention and the Eradication of Violence against Women expressed that gender violence is the state's responsibility.
1995: Femicide Statistics Reported in Italy
In Italy, femicide statistics from 1995-2019 are reported by the independent Women NGO.
1997: Enactment of legislations in South Korea
In 1997, South Korea enacted the "Special Action Punishment of Domestic Violence Crimes" legislation and the "Act on Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims" legislation to protect women.
2000: U.N. Report on Honor Killings
According to a 2000 report by the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), approximately 5,000 women are murdered each year in honor killings.
2000: Murders of women and girls in Guatemala
Between 2000 and 2010, more than five thousand Guatemalan women and girls were murdered, reflecting a long history of acceptance of gendered violence.
2000: High impunity rate of femicide in Guatemala
From 2000 to 2008, 98 percent of all femicide cases in Guatemala have remained in impunity.
2002: Highest rates of female homicides in Chihuahua
During the years 2002, the state of Chihuahua had the highest rate of female homicides in the world: 58.4 per 100,000.
2003: Custom and Honor Killings in Turkey
Between 2003 and 2007, 1,028 custom and honor killings were committed in Turkey.
2003: Julia E. Monárrez Fragoso introduces the concept of femicide
In 2003, Julia E. Monárrez Fragoso introduced the concept of femicide to name the violence that was taking place in Ciudad Juarez.
2006: Murders of elderly women in Israel
Between 2006 and 2015, all cases of female geronticide in Israel were intimate partner femicides.
2007: Custom and Honor Killings in Turkey
Between 2003 and 2007, 1,028 custom and honor killings were committed in Turkey.
2007: Honor killings data in Turkey
In 2007, data from the General Directorate of Security indicated that honor killings in Turkey predominantly occur in the Southeastern part of the country, with murderers from Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia having higher rates than those from other regions.
2008: Guatemala Passes Laws Against Femicide
In 2008, Guatemala passed Decree 22, Laws Against Femicide and Other Forms of Violence Against Women, which included 28 articles about prosecutable types of violence against women and created the Office of the Presidential Commission Against Femicide.
2009: Estimated Female Homicides in Mexico
Amnesty International estimates that between 1986 and 2009, there have been around 34,000 female homicides in Mexico.
2009: Dowry-related deaths in India
From 1990 to 2009, the reported number of dowry-related deaths of women in India almost doubled, from 4,836 to 8,383.
2009: Kurdish family imprisoned for honor killing
In 2009, an entire Kurdish family was sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the honor killing of their daughter, who became pregnant after being raped.
2009: Femicide Census in the UK
Since 2009, the Femicide Census in the UK has provided detailed comparable data about femicides, including demographic and social factors and the methods men selected to kill women.
2010: Murders of women and girls in Guatemala
Between 2000 and 2010, more than five thousand Guatemalan women and girls were murdered, reflecting a long history of acceptance of gendered violence.
2010: Highest rates of female homicides in Chihuahua
During the years 2010, the state of Chihuahua had the highest rate of female homicides in the world: 58.4 per 100,000.
2010: Increase in sex crimes against women in South Korea
In 2010, 32,000 sex crimes against women were reported in South Korea; that is 12,000 more cases than in 2010.
2010: Femicide Statistics Reported in Spain
In Spain, statistics and the structure of femicide from 2010-2019 are reported by year.
2010: Increase in Reported Violence Against Women in Guatemala
In the first month of 2010, a total of 27,000 women reported violence against them to the state in Guatemala, which was a large increase in the number of reported crimes. However, only 127 convictions occurred for female violence even though 46,000 cases were registered. 98 percent of all femicide cases from 2000 to 2008 have remained in impunity.
2011: Femicide rates in Juárez decreased
In 2011, the rate of female deaths with the presumption of homicides was 31.49 per 100,000, it decreased to 10.36 per 100,000 by 2016.
2011: Domestic violence cases in South Korea
In 2019 domestic violence cases have reached 50,000 in South Korea compared to 6,800 cases in 2011.
December 2012: The 50 Million Missing Campaign
In December 2012, Rita Banerji Archived her campaign for the 50 Million Missing campaign to end female gendercide in India, has said that there are also millions of girls and women killed through various forms of femicides that extend across various age groups.
2012: Mexico Ranked Among Countries with Highest Femicide Rates
In 2012, Mexico was ranked as the 16th country in the world with the highest rates of femicides.
2012: Murder of Rosa Elvira Cely
In 2012, Rosa Elvira Cely was raped and murdered, sparking national outrage in Colombia. In July 2015, a law defining femicide was named after her.
2012: Oh Won-choon kills a woman in South Korea
In 2012, a man named Oh Won-choon killed a woman while attempting to sexually assault her in South Korea.
2012: Law against feminicide
In 2012, after work started in 2003, a law against feminicide was created.
2013: Start of Femicide Across Europe Project
In 2013, 30 European countries joined a COST (Cooperation on Science and Technology) project called "femicide across Europe".
2013: COST Action IS-1206 established
In 2013, COST set up Action IS-1206 entitled "Femicide across Europe" to investigate femicide separately from homicide.
2013: First Spousal Rape Conviction Upheld in South Korea
In 2013, the Korean Supreme Court upheld the country's first spousal rape conviction.
2013: UN General Assembly Updated Policy
In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly updated their policy recognizing that "gender-related killing of women and girls was criminalized in some countries as 'femicide' or 'feminicide', and has been incorporated as such into national legislation in those countries."
2014: Case Study on Anti-LGBT Violence
In 2014, a case study analyzing anti-LGBT violence suggested crimes like lesbicide are explained by hyper-masculinity theories, where violence escalates after "unwanted heterosexual advances."
2014: Woman stabbed to death in South Korea
In 2014, while waiting for a bus in South Korea, a woman was stabbed to death by a drunk man.
July 2015: Colombia Passes Law Defining Femicide
On July 6, 2015, Colombia passed a law defining femicide as a specific crime, punishable with 20 to 50 years of jail time. The law is named after Rosa Elvira Cely, who was raped and murdered in 2012.
2015: Murders of elderly women in Israel
Between 2006 and 2015, all cases of female geronticide in Israel were intimate partner femicides.
2015: Increase in Femicide in Europe
From 2013 to 2015, the number of women murdered in Europe, not necessarily by a partner or family member, showed a slight increase, while male victims of homicide were declining.
2015: Mexican Supreme Court requires reopening femicide cases
In 2015, the Mexican Supreme Court mandated that police reopen and investigate a murder case from a femicide "perspective".
2015: Femicide is defined as a crime in Brazil
Through Law No. 13,104 in 2015, femicide was legally defined as a crime in the Brazilian Penal Code, punishable by 12 to 30 years in prison.
2016: Femicide rates in Mexico
In 2016, Mexico experienced a high rate of female homicides, with 4.6 femicides per 100,000. The total number of female deaths with the presumption of homicide was 2,746. Colima, Guerrero, and Zacatecas had the highest rates of female deaths. The top three municipalities in 2016 were Acapulco de Juárez, Tijuana, and Juárez. The rate of femicide in the municipality of Juarez decreased significantly from 31.49 per 100,000 in 2011 to 10.36 per 100,000 in 2016.
2016: Kim murders a woman in Gangnam Station bathroom
In 2016, a 34-year-old man whose surname is Kim randomly murdered a woman in her twenties in a Gangnam Station bathroom in South Korea, stating it was out of hatred for women.
2017: Femicide cases investigated in Mexico
According to the National Citizen Observatory on Femicide, only 49 percent of the 800 cases of women killed in Mexico between June and July 2017 were investigated as femicide.
2017: Femicide and Feminicide became crimes in 18 countries
As of 2017, femicide and feminicide became crimes in 18 countries due to female activists and legislators.
2017: Continuation of Femicide Across Europe Project
From 2013 to 2017, 30 European countries were part of a COST (Cooperation on Science and Technology) project called "femicide across Europe".
2018: Murders resulting from domestic violence in Brazil
In 2018 there were 7.2% less murders resulting from domestic violence or motivated by gender in Brazil when compared with 2019.
2018: Colombia Prosecutes Transgender Woman's Murder as Femicide
In 2018, Colombia prosecuted a transgender woman's murder as a femicide for the first time, sentencing Davinson Stiven Erazo Sánchez to twenty years in a psychiatric center for "aggravated femicide" after he killed Anyela Ramos Claros.
2018: Crimes not reported or investigated in Mexico
In 2018, it was reported that "93 percent of crimes were either not reported or not investigated" in Mexico.
2019: Femicide statistics in Turkey
In 2019, 474 women were victims of femicide in Turkey, a number comparable to 2020 when accounting for both confirmed and suspicious deaths.
2019: Statistics of femicide in Canada
In 2019, Canada had a total of 678 homicides, with 144 of the victims being female. The rate at which female victims were killed by a spouse or intimate partner was over eight times greater than the number of males killed by a spouse or intimate partner.
2019: South Korean Domestic Violence Survey Study
In 2019, a South Korean government study found that only 27.6% of women over 13 felt safe in society and that women accounted for 98% of victims in intimate partner femicide cases. 32,000 sex crimes against women were reported in 2019, and domestic violence cases reached 50,000.
2019: Increase in Murders Resulting from Domestic Violence in Brazil
In 2019, a survey carried out by Folha de S. Paulo, revealed there were 1,310 murders resulting from domestic violence or motivated by gender in Brazil, characteristics of femicide, which was an increase of 7.2% compared to 2018.
2019: Most violent year in Mexico
In 2019, almost 35,000 people were murdered in Mexico, marking it as the country's most violent year on record.
2019: Femicide Rate in Australia
In 2019, the Australian Institute of Criminology indicated that, on average, one woman a week is murdered in an act of femicide in Australia.
2019: Femicide Statistics Reported in Italy
In Italy, femicide statistics from 1995-2019 are reported by the independent Women NGO.
2019: Turkey Femicide Rate Drop
Since 2019, Turkey's femicide rate has seen a significant drop of 44.9%.
February 2020: Kidnapping and murder of Fatima Cecilia and the "Un Dia Sin Mujeres" movement
In February 2020, large demonstrations against femicides took place in Mexico after seven-year-old Fatima Cecilia was kidnapped from school and found dead a couple of days later. A movement called "Un Dia Sin Mujeres" (a day without women) spread all over the country after Fatima's murder.
2020: Femicide statistics in Turkey
In 2020, 300 women died as a result of femicide in Turkey, a decrease from the previous year. However, when including suspicious deaths, the numbers were comparable: 471 in 2020 versus 474 in 2019. The source began differentiating between confirmed femicides and suspicious deaths in 2020.
2020: Examination of elderly women murders in Israel
In 2020, an examination of every murder of an elderly woman in Israel between 2006 and 2015 revealed that all cases of female geronticide were intimate partner femicides.
2020: Age of consent raised to 16 in South Korea
In 2020, the age of consent was raised from 13 to 16 in South Korea, with stipulations for prosecution.
March 2021: Women Murdered in England and Wales
In England and Wales, in the year ending March 2021, 177 women were murdered; where there was a known suspect, 92% of the women were killed by men.
March 2021: Turkey Withdraws from Istanbul Convention
In March 2021, the Turkish government, via presidential decree, withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, becoming the first and only country in the Council of Europe to do so. This decision sparked public outrage, with only 26% of the population supporting the withdrawal.
August 2021: Highest number of femicides since 2019 in Mexico
In August 2021, a total of 108 femicides occurred in Mexico, the highest number since 2019.
2021: Reported Murders in Turkey
From 2021 to 2024, around 180 women were reportedly murdered by their husbands in Turkey, mostly honor killings.
2021: Accomplished homicide cases in Japan
In 2021 in Japan, accomplished homicide cases included 54.9% by family members, 8.6% by spouses or partners, 27.2% by acquaintances, 6.9% by strangers.
2021: Femicide statistics in Turkey
In 2021, a total of 497 women were killed in Turkey, including both confirmed and suspicious deaths, according to the source data.
2022: Data Published on Women Murdered in England and Wales
In 2022, data published showed that in the year ending March 2021, 177 women were murdered in England and Wales, compared to 416 men. Where there was a known suspect, 92% of the women were killed by men.
2022: Femicide Cases in Brazil
In 2022, during the first half of the year, Brazil recorded less 2.6% femicide cases when compared with the same period of the following year.
2022: Global Femicide Numbers
In 2022, nearly 89,000 women and girls were murdered globally.
2023: Growing problem of femicide
As of 2023, it has been noted there is a growing problem of femicide.
2023: Africa recorded highest femicide rates
In 2023, Africa recorded 21,000 cases which led to the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas, and then by Oceania.
2023: Femicide Cases in Brazil
In 2023, during the first half of the year, Brazil recorded 722 cases of femicide, 2.6% more than the same period in 2022, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP).
2023: Bill against violence on women passed in Turkey
In 2023, the bill against violence on women was passed in Turkey after a decade in government.
2024: Reported cases of femicide in Kenya
As of 2024, there were 160 reported cases of femicide in Kenya with the highest month being January. Nairobi is the leading County with 18 femicide victims followed by Nakuru with 17. Husbands have been found to be the biggest perpetrators.
2024: Reported Murders in Turkey
From 2021 to 2024, around 180 women were reportedly murdered by their husbands in Turkey, mostly honor killings.
2024: Seven women killed in one day
In 2024, seven women were killed by current or former partners in a single day.
2024: Femicide Protests in Nairobi, Kenya
On December 10, 2024, thousands of people, mostly women, marched in Nairobi to protest against a wave of femicides, demanding government action. The police used teargas to disperse the group, and at least 3 activist protesters were detained.
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