Understanding and addressing femicide in Africa: a systematic review of empirical research

Abstract

Context Against the backdrop of a high prevalence rate of femicide across Africa, it is crucial to gain methodological insights into the existing research on femicide.Objective To develop evidence-based strategies to address the complex and multifaceted nature of femicide in Africa, ultimately contributing to its prevention and reduction.Data sources Empirical research was searched for using four electronic research databases (ProQuest, Web of Science, EBSCO and PubMed).Eligibility criteria Full-text empirical articles (ie, observational or retrospective studies) published in English between the period of 1 January 1992 and 30 July 2021, which sampled femicide victims and/or perpetrators in Africa, were included in the review.Data extraction Data were extracted using predefined data fields, including study quality indicators.Data synthesis Thomas and Harden’s (2008) thematic synthesis method was used to analyse 22 empirical articles that met the inclusion criteria in this study.Results This review highlights the significant focus on femicide research in South Africa. Most studies of femicides have used cross-sectional research designs. This review also demonstrates that crime dockets have benefited significantly from forensic contributions and police investigations. Furthermore, research efforts have uncovered various contextual factors that contribute to femicide, such as the high prevalence of early childhood trauma and the loss of primary caregivers among femicide offenders.Conclusion This systematic review offers a thorough synthesis of the current understanding of femicide in an African context, focusing on South Africa. Despite acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the existing knowledge, this review emphasises the urgency of addressing femicide and calls for international attention and action to effectively combat this pressing issue.