France: The number of murders of women in France increased by 20 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, with 122 women killed as a result of domestic violence at the hands of their current or former husbands, according to a report published by the Ministry of the Interior on Friday.
Women represent 85 percent of the total victims of spousal violence deaths in 2021 (143 deaths, including 122 women and 21 men) compared to 82 percent in 2020, a constant rate since 2006.
As in previous years, women were the main victims: 102 of them lost their lives in 2020, compared to 146 femicides in 2019.
The study confirms that “the most common characteristics of perpetrators did not change.
They are mostly male, often married, of French nationality, aged between 30 and 49 or 70 and over, and do not engage in professional activity.
Almost one in three women, 32 percent, had previously experienced violence, and 64 percent reported it to law enforcement.
Of those, 84 percent filed a complaint. In a third of the cases (33 percent), at least one substance was observed that was likely to alter the ability of the perpetrator and/or victim (alcohol, narcotics, psychotropic substances) to distinguish at the time of events. The vast majority (78 percent) of the incidents occurred in the home of the spouse, victim, or perpetrator. As in previous years, disagreements (31 cases) or non-consensual separation (27 cases) were the main reasons for these violations, 41 percent.
They are closely followed by jealousy (25 cases) and the victim’s illness in 21 cases.
On average, one death was recorded every two and a half days over the past year, compared to one death every three days in 2020.
Femicide also increased by +16 percent in Italy, from August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022, with 125 women murdered compared to 108 the year before.
