TFamily violence death review (FVDR) was established as an ongoing programme of work
following the review and restructure of the national mortality review function in 2023.
Members of the previous Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) now form the
group of FVDR Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) that undertake family violence death review
on behalf of He Mutunga Kore | National Mortality Review Committee (the Committee).
This report, the ninth on deaths related to family violence, explores femicide within Aotearoa
New Zealand.
We examine the concept of femicide as described in the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) statistical framework for measuring femicide.5 We further explore deaths
associated with damage to women’s bodies. This includes the deaths of unborn babies
associated with violence exposure, and women and girls who die by suicide. In addition, we
highlight emergent issues, such as technology-facilitated violence, the impact of organised
crime on femicide, and human trafficking.

Femicide can be broadly defined as ‘the killing of women and girls because of their gender’. [6]
It is the most extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls and is a human
rights violation. [7]
In publishing this report, we aim to start a discussion about the impact of gender-based
violence against women and girls and the prevention and response strategies required.
We highlight the need to address the inequitable experiences of violence for particular
groups. These include wāhine Māori (Māori women) and kōtiro Māori (Māori girls), unborn
babies, older women, and those from disabled, ethnically diverse, takatāpui and rainbow
communities.

For details on m ethods, see Appendix 1. (From the Executive summary). Record #9294