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Femicides: The Unseen Pandemic of Violence Claims One Woman Every 10 Minutes Globally
🇬🇷 Greece /Health & Science

Femicides: The Unseen Pandemic of Violence Claims One Woman Every 10 Minutes Globally

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Femicides are alarmingly increasing globally and in Greece, highlighting the pervasive issue of gender-based and domestic violence.
  • In Greece, three severe cases occurred within two weeks in June, involving intimate partners or family members as alleged perpetrators.
  • Globally, one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes due to gender-based violence, with homes being the most frequent crime scene.

The phenomenon of femicide continues to spread at alarming rates, both in Greece and internationally, exposing one of the darkest aspects of gender-based and domestic violence. Recent incidents in Greece have dramatically brought to the forefront the critical need for women's protection and the effectiveness of prevention mechanisms against crimes often committed within the family environment.

June saw three particularly serious cases that shocked public opinion in Greece. On June 1, a 39-year-old woman was found dead, with her husband reportedly confessing to the murder, which involved numerous stab wounds. A few days later, on June 11, a double homicide in Aigio, resulting in the deaths of a mother and her child, deeply disturbed the nation, leaving authorities investigating and several questions unanswered. The third incident involved a 45-year-old police officer in Drama who died from stab wounds, with her husband being investigated as the alleged perpetrator.

One woman or girl loses her life every ten minutes due to gender-based violence.

— United NationsHighlighting the global scale and frequency of femicide.

Globally, the situation is equally concerning. According to United Nations data, a woman or girl loses her life every ten minutes due to gender-based violence. Behind these statistics lie thousands of stories of abuse, fear, and entrapment in violent relationships. The home remains the most frequent location for these crimes, with perpetrators overwhelmingly coming from the victim's close family or intimate circle.

European Union and Fundamental Rights Agency data underscore the severity of the problem across Europe, revealing that one in three women has experienced some form of physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. In Greece, between 2023 and 2025, 55 femicides were recorded, with 30 allegedly committed by current or former partners. Criminal prosecutions for domestic violence remain high, with thousands of cases annually, reflecting the widespread nature of the issue. Despite institutional interventions, the challenge of effectively combating femicide persists.

One in three women has experienced some form of physical or sexual violence during her life, which shows that gender-based violence remains one of the biggest social problems of our time.

— European Union and Fundamental Rights AgencyIllustrating the prevalence of gender-based violence in Europe.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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