Femicide: a latent reality in Ecuador

Abstract

This research addressed the phenomenon of femicide in Ecuador and at the level of Latin America and the Caribbean. Its contribution lies in the importance of preventing and eliminating this form of violence. The research methodology involved a bibliographic, documentary, descriptive and exploratory approach, collecting data from various sources, such as magazines, scientific research, literary publications, reference files and academic works. The fundamental objective was to analyze feminidio and demonstrate the statistics in order to establish strategies for its prevention and eradication in Ecuador. The results revealed the record of 2,078 female victims of feminicide between 2014 and August 2023, showing that a woman is murdered every 26 hours in 2022, leaving approximately 245 children orphaned that year. This research demonstrated a drastic increase in violence against women in recent years, whose attackers are usually spouses, ex-partners or close relatives; the crimes occurred more frequently when the victims were separated, reflecting a sexist mentality rooted in Ecuadorian society. It will also be observed that the economic crisis and the confinement due to the pandemic contributed to aggravating this problem.