Femicide – the murder of women and girls – is the most extreme form of violence, and shows a country’s magnitude of violence against women.
South Africa’s third national femicide study looks at how femicide has changed over an 18 year period, comparing data from 1999, 2009 and 2017.
The findings of the Medical Research Council’s 2017 femicide study include that:
- While SA’s overall femicide rate for women and girls 14 years and older declined over 18 years, it is six times the global average, highlighting the urgency of efforts to address violence against women
- SA’s Firearms Control Act (2000) continues to protect women and girls from being shot and killed by their intimate partner
- Women and girls are at increased risk of being shot and killed by non-intimates, which includes family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers
