Citation

Ferrara P, Cammisa I, Bali D, Giardino I, Vural M, Pastore M, Pettoello-Mantovani C, Zona M, Pettoello-Mantovani M. J. Pediatr. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113870

PMID

38081476

Abstract

Femicide remains a pervasive global issue. In 2022 the United Nations global estimate for femicide revealed that nearly 89,000 women and girls were killed intentionally that year. 48,800 women fell victim to intimate partners or other family members, with approximately 7,900 cases occurring annually in the Americas and 2,300 in Europe. However, the actual number of victims is likely much higher due to the lack of reliably reported statistics. Troubling aspects of this escalating phenomenon include the lack of a comprehensive institutional response to femicide. Orphaned children, grieving parents, and siblings of murdered women are direct victims rarely acknowledged by the public administrations responsible for addressing their needs and by the judicial systems tasked with safeguarding their rights. In particular, legal gaps in addressing femicide obstruct access to justice, leaving these unique victims and the family members of the deceased women feeling overlooked. Such not only hinders effective prevention and prosecution but also denies necessary support to the family members, especially the children, exposing them to repeated victimization during legal proceedings. Some children lose both parents in an instant, along with their home, which may be seized. They lose their toys and routines. They no longer have a mother, who has been killed by a violent partner or spouse, and they no longer have a father, the perpetrator of the violence, often ending up in prison or succumbing to suicide. This commentary, prepared by the EPA-UNEPSA Social Pediatrics Working Group, addresses briefly the challenges faced by orphans of gender-based violence victims. Its purpose is to draw attention to the protection of the rights of domestic crime orphans and the importance of training professionals involved in managing children who have survived femicide. These include magistrates, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, and pediatricians. Indeed, pediatricians can play a central role in assisting children to manage the various challenges faced by orphans of gender-based violence victims and to develop the resilience necessary for their health, well-being, and a smooth transition to adulthood...

Language: en

Keywords

violence; women; Murder; killing; minors