Portugal registered 24 murders of women and 40 attempts until November 15th of this year, 21 of which were in the context of a family relationship. All attackers are men. Homicides predominate in intimate relationships, such as husbands, boyfriends or ex-partners. Twelve of the victims were mothers.
Although Portugal has not defined the crime of femicide in law, the cases are reported by the Observatory of Murdered Women (OMA) as such. Several countries already have specific legislation for this crime, characterized by being committed by intimate partners and associated with contexts of gender violence in its most diverse forms (physical, verbal, psychological, financial).
The data was released this Monday, November 24, by the Women’s Alternative and Response Union (UMAR). The report is prepared every year to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. “Femicide and its attempts are not isolated episodes, nor unpredictable accidents. These are announced crimes, rooted in dynamics of control, inequality and continued violence“, but-se.
In at least eight cases, the victim and attacker had children in common, several of them minors. The report also reveals that 57% of victims had already been the target of previous violence, known to third parties in nine situations. In four cases, there were records of complaints to authorities, such as the Public Security Police (PSP). In three of the murders, death threats had been made before the crime was committed.
The average age of victims is 36 years old, but one of the murdered women was only 18 years old. Em In eight cases it was possible to determine that the victim was trying to separate from the attacker. Of the total number of victims, nine were employed, two were unemployed, one was a student, three were retired and six had no employment status.
Most crimes occurred in the house where the victim and aggressor lived (52%). Another 19% occurred in places such as local accommodation or health units, and 9.5% on public roads. Of the remainder, 5% occurred at the victim’s place of work, 5% in a deserted location, 5% at the victim’s home and 5% in a hidden location.
“The pattern is clear: women continue to be attacked in any space, at any time, by offenders of all ages and using a variety of means that reveal extreme intentionality. These are preventable phenomena that the country continues to fail to anticipate”, analyzes the report.
The bladed weapon (such as a knife) is the most used means of committing homicides, representing 57% of cases. In 19%, a firearm was used and, in another 19%, the woman was killed by asphyxiation or strangulation. In 5% of cases the murder occurred by beating. In two homicides, minor children were present at the time of the crime.
Regarding the whereabouts of the suspects, six committed suicide after the murder, while three tried to take their own lives. Eight offenders were detained in preventive detention, while in six cases the coercive measure was omitted. “For 21 victims we have 20 offenders (one of which victimized a mother and daughter). Only in one case the age of the offender is unknown, but the majority are between 36 and 64 years old”, states the report. Of the 20 offenders, nine had children (45%).
40 attempts
In addition to the completed deaths, the report identifies 40 attempted femicides, of which 38 in the context of intimate relationships. In eight cases it was possible to determine that the victim was trying to separate himself from the attacker and in 12 situations there were children from the relationship.
Of the 40 attempts, andIn 15 cases there was already previous violence and, in seven cases, the victim filed a complaint. In seven of the attempts, death threats were reported, during or after the end of the relationship. One of the victims had a panic button, which did not prevent the attempted murder.
All 37 offenders are men. The ages are quite diverse, but the majority are between 24 and 50 years old. Like completed feminicides, most attempts occurred in the joint residence, followed by public roads. The attacker’s residence, the victim’s place of work and other locations were also identified.