It's Time to Confront the Reality of Femicide

Disclaimer: A LinkedIn article is not something I usually do, but in light of the ongoing epidemic of violence against women, I felt compelled to break the silence and speak out. We cannot afford to be quiet about femicide, misogyny, and the systemic barriers that keep women in danger.

I'm angry. We should all be angry. Another headline, another woman brutally murdered. Miss Switzerland finalist 'strangled, dismembered, and pureed in blender by husband'. Read that again. This headline reduces a woman to two things: her physical attributes (Miss Switzerland finalist) and the violent, grotesque way she was murdered.

This is part of the problem. Even in death, women are objectified. She’s not remembered as a person, but as a title, a body, and a victim of extreme violence. The way the media reports this - ‘pureed in a blender’ - isn’t just shocking, it’s dehumanising. It turns her into a spectacle, something to be consumed and forgotten as quickly as the headline passes.

But here’s the truth: this didn’t start with her brutal murder. It starts with everyday misogyny. Misogyny isn’t just sexist jokes or catcalls. It’s the fundamental disregard for women’s humanity - the belief that we are lesser, objects to be controlled and discarded. It’s in how our voices are dismissed, our boundaries ignored, and our autonomy undermined. It grows, unchecked, until it manifests in the worst kind of violence.

It’s men believing they are entitled to women’s bodies and lives. It’s men who think that when they don’t get what they want, they can lash out in the most vicious ways. And it’s a society that allows this to happen, that tells us we’re overreacting, that things aren’t really that bad.

The #MeToo movement was a moment where women stood together and said enough. But what followed? A backlash. Men complaining about how 'hard' it is to be a man, while women are still being murdered, assaulted, and forced into silence—not because we choose it, but because we know that speaking up too often leads to retaliation, dismissal, or worse.

Let me share something personal. A few months ago, I had to walk home after buses were cancelled following a large music event. At a bus stop, a man started screaming at me. When I ignored him, he attacked me. This is our reality - it’s not just headlines. Violence is lurking, whether on the street, in our homes, or in relationships where we should feel safe.

We should all be outraged. We should all be screaming about this epidemic of femicide. But women are told again and again to ‘speak up’ while the systems meant to protect us are riddled with barriers, corruption, and apathy. We are silenced by design.

This headline is part of the problem. Women are not just bodies to be objectified and brutalised. We are people, and the disregard for our humanity is what leads to femicide. The media dehumanises us, sensationalises our deaths, and moves on to the next story, leaving us to mourn in silence.

Misogyny is a rot that starts with small acts of disrespect and ends in murder. We need to confront it at every level, demand accountability, and refuse to let women be reduced to objects, even in death.

The Femicide Census reveals the reality:

• 78 women killed by men in 2021.
• 53% were murdered by a current or former intimate partner.
• 52% of those killed by a partner were trying to leave or had already left.
• 24% of women killed were aged 66 years or older, a disturbingly high figure.

Why aren’t we all outraged by this?

If you have been affected by the recent reporting on femicide, or are in a situation where you need help, here are critical resources for women in Scotland who need support:

1. Scottish Women's Aid - Offers refuge and support for women facing domestic abuse. 24-hour helpline: 0800 027 1234.
2. Rape Crisis Scotland - Provides confidential support for survivors of sexual violence via their helpline: 08088 01 03 02.
3. Shakti Women’s Aid - Specialises in supporting black and minority ethnic women experiencing domestic abuse.
4. Zero Tolerance - Campaigns to end violence against women through prevention strategies and education.
5. Victim Support Scotland - Offers emotional and practical support to victims of crime, including domestic and sexual violence: 0800 160 1985.
6. Saheliya - Provides mental health and well-being support for black, minority ethnic, and refugee women.
7. Amina – Muslim Women’s Resource Centre - Supports Muslim and minority ethnic women with helplines, workshops, and advocacy.
8. Scottish Women’s Rights Centre - Offers free legal advice and representation for women experiencing violence and abuse.

Enough is enough. Stand with women. Stand for every woman whose life has been taken. Demand justice and systemic change.

And please share in a moment for all of the women who have been murdered. They are so much more than how and why they were killed. They were women with hopes for their lives.

Images in cover: Their names were Rebecca Cheptegei, Kristina Joksimovic, Alison Howe, Alyson Watt, Amy Barnes, Andreea Cristea, Aysha Frade, Angelika Klis, Anita Downey; Anne Searle, Celine Dookhran, Chloe Rutherford, Christine Archibald, Concepta Leonard, Courtney Boyle, Demi Pearson, Eilidh MacLeod, Elaine McIver, Ellen Higginbottom, Florina Pastina, Gemma Leeming, Georgina Callander, Gillian (Nyasha) Zvomuya (Kahari), Hannah Dorans, Jane Hings, Jane Tweddle, Janice Griffiths, Jessica King, Jillian Howell, and Joanne Rand.