This briefing is taken from the executive summary of 2000 Women (Femicide Census). It summarises the main findings from the report which analyses the first 2,000 women and girls aged 14 years and over who were killed in the UK since 2009, and a man or men were identified as being responsible for that woman or girl’s premature death. In the UK, one average one woman is killed every three days.
Key findings
- Most women killed by men were aged between 20 and 60 (1458 – 73% of the whole sample); 5% (108) were teenagers. 22% (434) were aged 60 and over.
- The age of a victim affects who is most likely to be her killer.
- 61% (1231) of women were killed by a current or former partner, 9% (173) were killed by their son, 6% (113) were killed by other family members, 15% (296) were killed by men that they knew who were neither current nor former partners or family members, 10% (199) were killed by men with whom they had no known relationship, most often a stranger a stranger.
- Most victims were killed in their own homes (71% – 1422); most often in the home they shared with the perpetrator (40% – 793).
- A knife or other sharp instrument was used in 49% of the killings reviewed. Strangulation or asphyxiation was used in 27% and a blunt instrument in 17% (339) of killings. In 16% (322) of cases, a man used his body to kill – by kicking, hitting, and / or stamping.
- In almost a quarter of cases (23% – 464) a man used more than one form of violence to kill.
- Evidence of ‘overkill’ was present in at least 59% (1183) of femicides. The report defines overkill as the ‘use of excessive, gratuitous violence beyond that necessary to cause the victim’s death’ (2000 Women, Femicide Census, p36).
- Thirty-seven women were killed alongside 53 children, most commonly by the father of the children.
- Children witnessed at least 162 femicides – most often the killing of their mother by an intimate partner in the home, home, then or the street outside.
- Women who had been involved in prostitution tended to be younger and less likely to have been born in the UK than other women killed by men. Their bodies were more likely to have been subjected to sexual violence and desecration. They were less likely to be killed by a current or former partner.
- 12% (243) of men who killed women also killed themselves.
- Just over 60% (1211) of men who killed women were found guilty of murder, double murder, or multiple murder.
- 12% (238) of men who killed women were found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility or culpable homicide (Scotland), with a further 10% (202) found guilty of manslaughter or culpable homicide (using other partial defences).
- Fifty-five men who were convicted of murder have served their minimum terms and are eligible for release following a successful parole board application or have been released.
- Two hundred and eleven men convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison before 2020 have been released. Only 18 remain in custody for femicides before 2020.
- Mental ill heath was a factor in 58 % of cases where sons killed their mother (known as matricide).
Recommendations
The report makes a number of recommendations, as listed below. Whilst some are proposals for government, others apply to safeguarding children partnerships, safeguarding adult boards and their member agencies.
- ‘Government policy and strategy to name and address femicide. All forms of men’s fatal violence against women and girls should be included and not restricted to intimate partner or family femicide.
- Government policy and strategy to address men’s violence against women and girls to be comprehensively cross departmental.
- Government data on sex, race and ethnicity of homicide victims and suspects to be collected and published in disaggregated formats to allow analysis and interrogation.
- Central and accessible repository for inquests.
- Charges must not be dropped for offences in addition to homicide, particularly for sexual violence committed before, during or after the homicide given the impact on licence conditions after release.
- Improved and expanded risk assessment and monitoring of men with a history of violence against women, including in mental health and substance use services, and for those men known to be repeat perpetrators, who exhibit controlling behaviours and/or to have multiple victims.
- Coroners to make explicit link to role of men’s violence against women and girls in contributing to death, including in suicides.
- Long term sustainable funding for independent single-sex specialist services responding to all forms of men’s violence against women and girls, including the specialist by-and for sector for women from minoritised groups.
- Support services and legal remedies to be accessible to all women, including those with no recourse to public funds by extending the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession – Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain Model and implementation of firewall to prohibit data sharing between the police and immigration enforcement.
- Specific government action to address/raise awareness of matricide, and the risk of sons to their mothers, to include routine risk assessment specifically addressing risk of harm to mothers in mental health and problematic substance use services where male service users live with their mother; and independent single sex specialist services funded to support women abused by their sons and grandsons.
- Domestic Homicide Reviews and other statutory reviews should be made available to the Parole Board when deciding on release on licence once eligible of perpetrators convicted of murder. This will provide a more comprehensive picture of risk and behaviours given that most cases of abuse and violence do not result in a criminal record.
- Women leaving relationships with coercively controlling men are known to be at particular risk. All potential points of contact for women seeking advice to leave, including domestic abuse organisations, solicitors and advice centres, should be advising on how to leave safely even if domestic abuse is not disclosed.’ (2000 Women, Femicide Census, p 67)
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