MORE WOMEN BEING KILLED

Charities warn that violence against women and girls continues to be “a scourge on society”

MORE women and girls were killed last year than at any point in the last 13 years.

The number of female victims of homicide has increased for the second year in a row, reaching 241 in 2018/19.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), that was up by 10% from 220 the year before and is the highest number since 2005/06 when there were also 241 deaths.

While the majority of the 671 homicide victims in 2018/19 were male (429 victims), the number of men dying fell from 484 a year before.

The term “homicide” covers the offences of murder, manslaughter, including corporate manslaughter, and infanticide.

The nature of homicides also differs between men and women.

Women and girls (aged 16 years and over) were more likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner (38% or 80 homicides), while male victims were more likely to be killed by a friend or acquaintance (27%, 105 homicides).

The number of women killed by partners or ex-partners was up by 17 compared with the previous year.

However, the 63 homicides in the previous year was the lowest number in the last 40 years

Overall, almost half of women who died in 2018/19 (99 women, 48%) were killed by partners, ex-partners, or family members.

In contrast, just 8% of male victims (30) died in similar circumstances last year.

Sandra Horley CBE, Chief Executive of national domestic abuse charity Refuge said “These statistics show that violence against women and girls continues to be a scourge on society.

“Domestic abuse continues to harm and kill women at an alarming rate, and Refuge is extremely concerned that the 2019 statistics show a 27% rise in the number of women killed in a domestic homicide compared to the previous year.

“While these statistics dropped in 2018, this rise in 2019 proves that any indications domestic abuse was reducing were wholly unfounded.

“The Government has a real opportunity to address gender-based violence by ensuring that the Domestic Abuse Bill comes back to Parliament as soon as possible. Women’s lives depend on it.”