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Abstract

Femicide refers to the killing of women because they are women. Every day hundreds of women are killed in many different scenarios and circumstances across the globe. They may be killed by their intimate partners, family members or others in the context of domestic violence and abuse, intimate partner violence, family violence, honour-based violence, dowry-related violence and or any other form of violence against women. Women are also killed in armed conflicts and wars because they belong to the opposite group and because they are women. This chapter provides an overview of femicide, starting with a critical discussion of the contested nature of definitions and terminology. It highlights the diversity of practices that can be classed as femicide. We explore the intersection of femicide and children’s experiences to highlight the extensive and long-term consequences when mothers are murdered. The chapter ends with some discussion of risk factors and risk management before advocating for future research into femicide, which is needed to inform policy and practice.

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Correspondence to Parveen Ali .

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Ali, P., Rogers, M.M. (2023). Femicide. In: Ali, P., Rogers, M.M. (eds) Gender-Based Violence: A Comprehensive Guide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05640-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05640-6_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-05640-6

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