Femicides and violent deaths surge in first quarter

Victims of femicide in Panama increased by 20% and those of violent death by 100% during the first quarter of this year in Panama, compared to the same period in 2021.Between January and March, 6 women were victims of femicide, one more than in the same period of 2021, while 8 suffered violent deaths, compared to 4 the previous year, according to statistics from the Public Ministry (MP, Prosecutor’s Office).

Panama’s Law 82 defines feminicide as “causing the death of a woman based on belonging to the female sex, due to discrimination or any other form of violence.”

“Violent death refers to all the homicides of female persons that were not considered femicides, according to the Prosecutor’s assessment of the case and the application of Law 82,” the MP states in its report, without further details.

The victims of femicide were between 10 and 14 years old (2); between 40 and 44 years old (2), between 25 and 29 years old (1), and between 70 and 74 years old (1). 50% (3) of these cases were registered in the Caribbean province of Colón, one of the most violent in the country and plagued by gangs.83% (5) of the femicides were perpetrated with a knife and in one case it was not possible to specify what the victim was killed with.