Theories of femicide and their significance for social research

Abstract

Almost four decades have passed since the term femicide was coined in 1976. This new word had a political purpose, in that it intended to produce changes in the social order which tolerated the violent death of women. Since that time, the word has generated a theoretical concept that encompasses the killing of a woman as a specific social phenomenon. Femicide is an effort in sociological imagination that has been successful in transforming conventional perception, public awareness, scientific research and policy making. This article undertakes to review how femicide has evolved in social research. It analyses the most important theories explaining femicide: the feminist, sociological, criminological, human rights and decolonial research approaches and their theoretical significance. It discusses Mexico as a case study, exemplifying how a new English term was then translated into another language and applied in a very specific socio-political context, so that it became instrumental in changing reality and improving the lives of women. Finally, the article proposes a framework where femicide is understood as a social phenomenon that demands an interdisciplinary approach. The authors Downloaded from 2 Current Sociology recommend a systemic, multifaceted model in order to improve both scientific analysis and prevention.

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“…Despite the obstacles to participation, women have entered the political sphere through elected office, professional associations, labour unions, grassroots organizations, and social justice movements. Collective mobilizations led by women have influenced public discourse and resulted in meaningful changes for the rights of women and girls in cities, for example, the activism that drew national and international attention to the high rates of femicide in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico (Corradi et al 2016). Trade associations and unions and grassroots women's organizations benefit women by organizing initiatives that reduce the barriers of unpaid care work, such as local daycare initiatives (Tacoli 2012;Chant and McIllwaine 2016).…”

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“…In January of 2020, 10 women were murdered every day in my country. Corradi et al (2016) highlight the use of the word femicide as to "raise awareness that violent death of women was a crime per se, not to be confused with the gender-neutral term homicide" (p. 976). I define femicide as a hate act towards women for the fact of being it.…”