Black women in the United States of America face a femicide crisis that is structural, persistent, and measurable.
Femicide
Femicide is a term coined by Dr. Diana Russell to describe the deliberate gender-based killing of women, often driven by misogyny, gender inequality, and patriarchal systems. It specifically targets women and girls simply because they are female. Femicide encompasses a range of acts, including coercive control, domestic violence, honor killings, dowry-related killings, female infanticide, sexual violence-related killings, and targeted killings in conflict zones. It reflects the systemic discrimination and gender-based power imbalances in societies. Femicide not only results in the loss of individual lives but also perpetuates a culture of fear and reinforces oppressive structures that marginalize and harm women. Understanding and addressing the complex social, cultural, and systemic factors contributing to femicide is crucial in combating gender-based violence and working towards a more equitable and just society.
The risk of femicide increases for Black women in America based on the concentration of structural racism where they reside.
Firearms kill Black women at rates no other weapon approaches. Nearly three out of four Black female femicide victims die by gunshot. That proportion has climbed 47% since 2011. Guns do not cause femicide. But they determine who survives it.
Black women are most often killed by someone they love, trust, or share a home with. Nine out of ten victims knew their killer.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the sharpest single-year escalation in Black femicide rates in two decades. Though rates declined slightly from their 2021 peak, they remain 25% higher than pre-pandemic levels–and the federal funding rollbacks of 2025 have removed the infrastructure most likely to reverse that trajectory. The years between 2020 and 2023 represent the most acute phase of the Black femicide…
Black women are killed at rates that expose a crisis rigidly upheld by structural racism. This page documents national femicide rates for Black and white women from 1999 to 2023, drawing on peer-reviewed research, FBI data, and the Violence Policy Center’s annual analysis. Terminology: The Purpose Of The Word Femicide Narcissistic Abuse Rehab narcissisticabuserehab.com Black Femicide Statistics Hub · National…
Canada stands on the verge of a historic legal transformation. With the Protecting Victims and Vulnerable Persons Act, lawmakers aim to lead peer democracies. Specifically, Canada will codify femicide within the Criminal Code Consequently, the country may become the first among its peers to act. On December 9, 2025, Justice Minister Sean Fraser tabled Bill C-16. He introduced sweeping legislation…
A list of the countries that have criminalized femicide and the corresponding legislation.
Every ten minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member.
Are you experiencing abuse after a separation? Learn about your rights and where to find help during Post-Separation Abuse Awareness Week.