Gender equality and female homicide victimization rates in the EU

2016 study on risk factors in 27 European countries

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A study conducted by Stamatel (2016) aimed to investigate the relation between gender equality and female homicide victimization with a sample of 27 European Union countries. Surprisingly however, their results showed that the relationship between financial gender equality and female homicide victimization is not linear, instead being curvilinear. Once a specific threshold of economic gender equality is reached, women experience a “backlash” of violence, due to the perceived  threat of power and control by men. Furthermore, the study showed that females are at the highest risk of homicide victimization in countries which have no financial equality. Therefore, economic inequality is an important risk factor for violence against women and further research needs to be conducted to explore the relationship between gender equality and female homicide victimization. Considering gender as a significant risk factor is an important implication for policies, legal frameworks and intervention combating femicides. 


 

External Authors

Janet Stamatel

Gender as a risk factor

Gender as a risk factor is often overlooked in studies on homicide rates due to the fact that the majority of perpetrators and victims are men. However, at least one fifth of homicides victims are women and Europe has the second highest percentage of female homicide victims worldwide. Despite the prevalence of femicides in Europe, there is a significant lack of studies about gender equality in relation to female homicide victimization. Moreover, the results of existing research, which relied on simplistic and frequently indirect measures of gender equality, are inconsistent. Hence, theoretical predictions about the connection between gender equality and the prevalence of female homicide victims are still up for debate. 

 

At least one fifth of homicides victims are women and Europe has the second highest percentage of female homicide victims worldwide

Three theories explaining gender equality and VAW

The existing literature is shaped by three main prevalent theories: The Amelioration hypothesis, the backlash hypothesis and the factor of economic marginalization. According to the amelioration hypothesis, as women's equality rises, violence against women should decline. Contrastingly, the backlash hypothesis outlines the phenomenon that as women’s equality and social status increases men feel threatened by their loss of status and thus retaliate with violence. Lastly, economic marginalization is an additional important factor as womens’ economic status makes them vulnerable to violence. 

 

 


 

Interested in joining
our team? Questions
or comments?

Connect with us:  
twitter @femicidewatch

Imprint link icon & 
Privacy Policy link icon

Email us: editors (at)
femicide-watch.org

UNSA Global Network
UNSA Vienna

powered by
enlightenment GmbH

UNSA Vienna

UNSA GN

enlightenment logo