Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW: FEMICIDE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Literature Review: Femicide in the 21st Century

Guadalupe Carrillo

University of Texas at El Paso

Professor Tafari Nugnet

RWS 1302: Rhetoric and Writing Studies

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Abstract

Femicide is a human rights issue that has been neglected for far too long. Today some

parts of the world are still unfamiliar with the term Femicide. The reappearance of this term in

society has given a name to many of the murders which have gone unpunished. The causes and

effects of Femicide has pointed out flaws in the government and within our own cultural

customs. Women Rights fight for equality is not just a matter of economic value it is still a fight

for respect. Women have long suffered through domestic violence and endured a conglomeration

of injustices as part of ancient societal norms and outdated uninformed government justice

systems and biased officials that awareness and exposure to Femicide and womens rights will

have the impact of changing. Femicide has an impact on society, which is comprised of both men

and women, therefore it is both a males and a females fight, to end Femicide.
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Literature Review: Femicide in the 21st Century

Femicide is the intentional killing of women by males due to the fact that they are

women. The repartition of the term Femicide has provided society with a better opportunity of

conveying the dangers of domestic violence. The distinction between Homicide and Femicide

have come to shed light on the injustices endured by women for centuries, which include the

depravation of life to certain extents. Research in this field will provide awareness on the past,

current, and prognostication for future advancements. It is a human right that women are treated

like the humans they are rather than the objects or second-class citizens society considers them,

therefore awareness about Femicide is crucial (Aretakis, 2013).

This literature review is a reflection of what is already know about Femicide and the

prospected effects that Femicide might cause on society if it continues to be left in the dark. The

following questions will help us dissect and evaluate todays responses to the global issue of

Femicide.

1. What are the origins of Femicide?

2. Why are women being killed?

3. What are the effects of Femicide on society?

4. What is being done to end Femicide, prevent violence against women, and have these

approaches been effective?

These questions are meant to raise awareness for Femicide by allowing the reader to learn about a deadly

epidemic and how it can be prevented. To fully understand Femicide we will analyze the cause of female

deaths, and its effects on society.

What are the origins of Femicide?

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Womens rights activist, and advocates against violence towards women and children

have created awareness for Gender based crimes. The term Femicide was created in Britain in

the 18th century, a term not known by many until Diana Russel a Feminist and advocate for

womens rights brought it to light by utilizing it in many of her speeches and famous books such

as Femicide: The Politics of Woman Killing, and other works alike. Diana Russel describes

Femicide as the killing of a female -any age- by a male based on gender. Her website is a

conglomeration of research, publications, and speeches of her own that help justify the term

Femicide and bring awareness of the injustices that women have been facing before her own

existence, the era of women suffrage, or even the witch burnings (2014).

Femicide is a step forward to justice, awareness against violence, and the end of an

epidemic that has been covered up because of the lack of usage of the term itself. The adoption

of this term into legal, government justice departments have made space for a new type of crime

as Russel referred to as the [ modern] day witch burnings (2014). This term is specific and

clearly states that the motives surrounding femicide include misogyny. Therefore, cultures that

consider women second class citizens, or objects have catered to the high mortality rate of

females under developed countries.

Experts have deduced that Femicide is the prolonged consequence of domestic violence

(Campbell, 2003). There exist two categories that femicide is divided into: intimate and non-

intimate perpetrator relations: those linked categories presented branch out based on justification

for femicide such as: culture based ideas, those linked to sexual assault, and other crime or hate

related justifications. The research awareness paper by the World Health Organization Titled

Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Women brakes down reported statistics of
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Femicide crimes. The article relates that in a global scale more than 35% of murders are

committed by intimate partners. Random, but systematic killing of women is the definition

for non-intimate based Femicide (2012).

Since Femicide can be defined as intimate and non-intimate related crime the difference

proves that although Femicide is a male conducted crime factors in the environment also effect

the exposure and prominence of crimes against women. The basic four factors that cultivate a

society where Femicide grows are partially based on society and ones self; individual, the

individuals relationships, the community, and the government. The factors describe are what

have made women victims and have given men the mindset as well as opportunity to commit

murders against women, and reaffirm the false believe that they are entitled over women.

Femicide is a problem that has been created by society.

Cultural customs seem to have more of an effect on poor and less educated communities,

than on well-developed stable communities. We see this through examples of the Indian custom

of Dowry within families, usually the poor families are the ones to engage in the murder of the

bride. Communities, authorities, relatives, and the individual at times fall into believes withheld

for centuries, and braking them may result in guilt, and or anger that lead to violence. The origins

of Femicide date back to the roots of our believes created by our ancestors and maintained by

communities practicing the culture (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health et al., 2009).

Honorary, dowry, and machismo crimes are believes counted as justifications for the

participation in Femicide. These cultural customs are imbedded within the four factors that have

been mentioned. Femicide is an epidemic that has existed for a long time and the innovation of

technology has made living even more difficult for women especially in under developed
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communities. Geographical features, society structure, cultures and customs have made Femicide

a global issue.

Why are women being killed?

Experts claim that there are many reason why women are being killed. In the previous paragraphs

we discussed the origins of femicide. Here we will dissect the four factors that increase the crime against

women. The Georgian government as described by The Human Rights House Network, in the article

Society encourages femicide, which permanently blames the woman in the facts of violence proves that

murders against women are illegal acts that occur and are constantly covered up by the authorities in

Georgia, a middle eastern country. Georgia, alike many other countries consider women second class

citizens, women are cheated of justice and treated lower than men. In this country cases of violence and

femicide are taken Under the Law meaning crimes against women go completely unpunished, under

punished, unregistered, or even point the blame at the victim by calling femicide crimes acts of suicide

(Vardiashvili, 2016).

A government not willing to define Femicide, provide consequences for domestic violence and

safety to its citizens will be harbor crime. The law may be established on paper but it is up to the

authorities to ensure that the laws are being followed, however in many countries the authorities and even

governments fail to meet policies that have been established. The rate mortality rate of women continues

to grow despite the awareness of Femicide due to corruption and faulty structure of security within the

foundation of the country, the government. Foundation of countries also relies around culture which

might affect the way people perceive laws. Figure 1.1 illustrates a general overview of behavioral
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discrepancies within governments over laws adopted by them to protect womens rights (Think Spatial,

2015).

Figure 1.1 Is a global map illustrating the proficiency at which countries follow the laws set by the

Center Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, another one of

the United Nations creation to help with the global problem for the purpose of advocating for women

rights.

Culture shapes values, believes, communities, governments and several more aspects of our

living. In The Stream webcast focused on Femicide, women converse on the role that culture plays in the

male motive for engaging in the intentional killing of women and overall domestic violence against

women of any age, race or sexual attraction. Culture is a leading factor for which many governments and

authorities do not define crimes committed due to Dowry, Passion, and Honor as Femicide let alone a

homicide or domestic violence case. Certain cultures express the idea of Machismo to levels so extreme

that they are justification enough for murder. Women in places as such are merely considered objects, and

house keepers. In many cases crimes are justified as Passion driven by the intimate partner. This specific

situation refers to the murder of brides, or girlfriend by a male as a sacrifice. In other cases, the immediate
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family will engage in the murder of a daughter in law or a birth daughter because of honor and family

respect that was defamed due to an unblessed marriage, unexpected pregnancy and other related unmet or

broken cultural norms. These crimes are sometimes overseen, and poses impunity over punishment.

Women are murdered day to day because of misogynist communities and governments due to cultural

customs (Al Jazeera English, 2015).

Machismo is part of many cultures, and its existence has only justified violence. Whether

intimate or non-intimate femicide crimes are driven by the feeling of entitlement that cultures have

reserved for males. Culture and customs share partial blame for femicide, but the individuals responsible

for murders against women hold all the responsibility for their actions. Women are being murdered

because of community supported unethical societal norms and crimes disguised as so.

Individuals that commit the crime are the ones to blame for the crime. Femicide is a combination

of many factors, but most perpetrators have ulterior justifications for killing women besides being a

progression of domestic violence or due to the disobedience of cultural/societal norms. Femicide is also

tied to sex crimes and armed conflict, gender-based sex selection feticide, organized crime, and a

females sexual orientation. Organized crime against women likely involves sexual assault of a female,

this is usually done by gangs, and drug dealers. Sexual assault is closely tied to armed conflict or in other

words a tactic of terrorization through the rape and killing of women. Infant girls are killed in abortions

because of their gender usually due to their fathers expectations for a male infant (Sharps, 2017). Lastly

women are killed because of their sexual attraction, these women are hunted down and murdered

(Laurent, n. d.).

Women are the victims of society where they have not been given a choice but made to live under

fear for their health and life because of customs, corrupt governments and organized crime. Organized

crime involves femicide largely due to sexual assault or escalated domestic violence. Overall women are

killed in correlation with several crimes because of gender.

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Femicide is a crime lead by one motive, to kill women, because of several different reasons to

include gender. Women are targeted because we they are considered weak, second class citizens, and

objects at the worst. Women are killed because of cultural customs, lack of structure in government, and

organized crime.

What are the effects of Femicide on society?

Femicide is a human rights violation that effects women from all ages and all over the world; this

act is often cloaked as a cultural custom, or pinned as being the victims fault. Femicide effects the

relatives, and friends of the deceased female in an emotional way. Beyond the immediate effect that

femicide causes on relatives and friends of the victim, Femicide effects communities and societies

through physiological and physical matters. Communities begin to associate gender roles prohibiting

women from behaving and living in certain forms. This issue also applied to males, males begin to feel

entitled and are taught to be misogynistic. Furthermore, the absence of justice for crimes against women

has and is robbing a girl or woman form life. In places were Femicide crime rates are high women are

taught to dress, act, socialize, and basically go through life in certain ways to avoid contact with males.

Women have been stripped of most of their freedom, confined between certain social and physical

boundaries to remain safe (Western Center on Research Education on Violence Against Women &

Children, 2015).

Hate crimes against women begin with society as explained in previous paragraphs. Femicide

affects communities by appointing gender roles which leads to the formation of boundaries and unequal

allocation of power between genders. The perpetual cycle of violence, injustice, and Femicide overall

starts with societies psychological and physical matters, which then effect women and girls living. Living

is connected to immediate personally connected relatives and friends, which are also affected when a

female of personal connection is deceased.

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Femicide has made women scared, which is one of the reasons why women possess no

equal rights. According to the Global Citizen online journal, culture of violence can contribute

to the feminization of poverty both in the context of the economy but also in the

advancement within the social ladder. Women are made to be afraid and are confined to what

surrounding males approve and allow for women, this living and mentality. Girls from a young

age grow up to be illiterate women dependent of males because that is what violence has done to

women, violence has prevented women from getting an prospering in the world whether it be

through any field (Medina, 2017).

Women are being coerced to follow cultural norms, believes, and above all the dominant

male. Girls are limited to all possibilities the world offers because of survival, in the Middle East

women cant educate themselves because it is not custom to do so, women can dress certain

ways because they are told so or else they might be killed, rapped, or tortured for acting and

looking provocative. Women are the made to be the scapegoats for many tragedies even if they

are the victims themselves. The absence of justice has made women keep within the designated

boundaries of survival: what a male defines a woman in terms of their living -thoughts and

actions. Femicide and violence have trapped women in a social class with threats and violence.

Violence against women is the cause for stagnant womens rights movements, representation in

all aspects of education, living, and justice in several places around the world.

Women and males both comprise communities therefore if one is directly affected the

other will also feel the impact indirectly, because Femicide is not only a Womens problem but a

males problems too.

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What is being done to end Femicide, prevent violence against women, and have these approaches

been effective?

Femicide is a global issue that has affected both women and men directly and indirectly, therefore

many governments, communities, organizations have taken approaches to prevent, and bring awareness

over Femicide. UN Women is an organization which devotes itself to advocating for women rights. This

organization brings countries and governments together. The websites purpose is to inform people of

their mission to bring justice and awareness to issues surrounding equality and justice for women rights.

The organization works with governments to facilitate the creation of laws and understanding of the

importance of Womens rights in society. The UN Women organization is one of the most known, and

effective organizations that exist, they have created funding to support the awareness of Violence against

women, as well as built bridges with politicians to help inform and persuade governments about Justice

for women. Several research studies have been conducted from an array of perspectives: psychological,

sociological, biological, concerning the economy, the more. Studies like the Gender Progress and

Government Expenditure as Determinants of Femicide a study that concluded that gender related

structural, political, and economic responses should be considered when attempting to address the global

issue of femicide. Although it is unknow whom has used this study in specific studies like these have

been used by the UN to inform and persuade governments to adopt gender equality in many aspects of

government and society (Palma-Solis, 2008). Protest against Femicide are common now a days especially

in South America, although it is hard to tell if dedicated and affected women and men are making a

change they are beginning to reach attention from several sources which has in itself been a blessing got

the foundation. Figure 2.1 depicts the protests that occurs all over the world, when sexual signs are seen

as strength marks, bare skin is embraced to symbolize humanity and bruises are used to represent the

struggles women are faced by with violence, and injustices.

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Figure 2.1 Ni Una Menos: An Organized Protest Against Femicide

Conclusion

Femicide is a subject not commonly known to society, but its definition has brought light to

significant problems in justice systems. Out of a pool of 30 participants including adult males, females,

adolescents and children only 30% pf participants were able to define Femicide and elaborate on its

effects on society. The study conducted relates that Femicide is still unknown to many people in the 21st

century, part of the reasons why the sample group did not know much about Femicide could be attributed

to a list of factors that include exposure and awareness to laws, or the actual ongoing killing of women. In

either case Femicide is an epidemic that can be prevented.

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References

Al Jazeera English. (2015). Ni Una Menos: Tackling Femicide in Latin America [Video file].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= h4xFShsSK3U

Aretakis, D. (2013). What Were the Risk Factors? Nursing for Women's Health, 12, 2, (146

150)

Campbell, J.C., Webster, D., Koziol-McLain, J., Block, C., Campbell, D., Curry, M.A. Risk

factors for femicide in abusive relationships: Results from a multistate case control study.

American Journal of Public Health. 2003;93:10891097.

Global Poverty Project. (2017). Global Citizens. Retrieved from

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/growing-epidemic-of-femicide-and-impunity/

Laurent, C. (n.d.). Femicide: The Killing of Women and Girls Around the World. Academic Council on

the United Nations System, Vienna Liaison Office. Retrieved from https://acuns.org/

Learning Network: Femicide. (2015). Western Center on Research Education on Violence Against

Women & Children. Retrieved from http://www.vawlearningnetwork.ca/

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), InterCambios, Medical Research Council of

South Africa (MRC), and World Health Organization (WHO). 2009. Strengthening

Understanding of Femicide Using research to galvanize action and accountability. Retrieved from

https://www.path.org/publications/files/GVR_femicide_rpt.pdf

Palma-Solis, Marco et al. (2008) Gender Progress and Government Expenditure as Determinants of

Femicide. Annals of Epidemiology, 18, 4, 322 - 329

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Russell, D. (2014). Biography. Diana E. H. Russell, Ph. D. Retrieved from

http://www.dianarussell.com/index.html

Sharps, P.W., Laughon, K., Giangrande, S.K. Intimate partner violence and the childbearing year:

Maternal and infant health consequences. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. 2007; 8:105116. Toprak,

S., & Ersoy, G. (2017). Femicide in Turkey between 2000 and 2010. PLOS, 12(8), e0182409.

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UN Women. (2017, September 26). United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the

Empowerment of Women. Retrieved from http://www.unwomen.org/en

Vardiashvili, M. (2016). Society encourages femicide, which permanently blames the woman in the facts

of violence. Human Rights House Network. Retrieved from

http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/22058.html

Woman Stats Project (Spatial Thinking). (2015). Discrepant Government Behavior Concerning Women

[Static Map]. Figure1. Retrieved from http://www.womanstats.org/about.html

World Health Organization. (2012). Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Women. Retrieved

from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/77421/1 /WHO_RHR_12.38_eng.pdf

Palma-Solis, Marco et al. (2008) Gender Progress and Government Expenditure as Determinants of

Femicide. Annals of Epidemiology, 18, 4, 322 329

Al Jazeera (Telesur). (2017). Ni Una Menos[Photograph]. Insight Crime,

https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Justice-Still-Slow-Despite-Femicide-Laws-in-Latin-

America-20170308-0006.html
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