Women’s Aid responds to new Femicide Census report

Isabelle Younane, head of external affairs at Women’s Aid, said:

“The new Femicide Census report makes for incredibly disturbing and sombre reading. Most tragically, it demonstrates that we continue to live in a world where violence against women and girls (VAWG) is prevalent, and where the system continuously fails to keep women and children safe from harm, leading to deadly consequences. The new data shows that a staggering 122 women were killed by men in the UK in 2022 – figures that remain shockingly consistent year on year.

“The data reinforces that which we know to be true – women are most likely to be killed by a current or former partner, with the murder most often taking place in the home. The report also highlights that the end of a relationship is often the most dangerous time for a woman, working instead as a trigger for violent and controlling men. The ongoing, high demand for refuge spaces and other frontline services should be seen as a dire call to action for our government to invest more and save lives.

“More must be done to ensure that women and children are safe. We need to take a whole society approach to tackle the misogyny and sexism that underpin VAWG, from our schools, through to fixing our broken justice system. We must come together to make sure that women are believed when reporting abuse, but also, that they are kept safe from those seeking to cause them harm.”

Women’s Aid is urging the government to increase investment in frontline domestic abuse services and to address systemic failings in the justice system that leave victims vulnerable.