What is femicide?
Femicide means killing women because of their gender, often by a husband, father, brother or former partner. So-called honour killings are one form. Killings following a request for divorce, leaving home or years of domestic violence may also fall into this category.
Warning signs that should not be ignored
The following are serious warning signs of potentially life-threatening abuse:
- Explicit threats to kill, even when described as being said “in anger”
- Strangulation or pressure on the throat, even once
- Weapons in the home or threats involving a weapon
- Stalking, constant location monitoring or extreme jealousy
- Escalating violence after a request for divorce or leaving home
- Threats of suicide by the person using violence
- Violence during pregnancy
Risk after separation
Leaving a relationship does not necessarily end the danger. Risk can increase when an abusive person feels they are losing control. Safety planning for the weeks and months after leaving is just as important as planning the departure itself.
Recording cases
MASU gathers sourced reports of femicide in Iran so these cases are not lost in the daily news. If you know of a case reported in the media, you can send us a link to the source.