Gender Equality and the Usual Suspects: A Cross-National Study on Female and Male Homicide Victimization

Abstract

<jats:p> Gender inequality is a central concept in cross-national feminist criminological literature. There is not a readily agreed-upon operationalization of gender inequality. The variation in the operationalization of gender inequality in cross-national research could be the cause for the inconsistent findings. We explored if the operationalization of gender inequality affects the association of the variables with gender-specific homicide across nations. Utilizing SUR and Wald Tests, our results indicate that measurement matters. When a measure of gender inequality includes an income competent, it has an association with gender-specific homicide. We conclude by situating our findings into the larger cross-national literature. </jats:p>

Femicide and Feminicide in Mexico: Patterns and Trends in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Regions

“…Low levels of gender equality are associated with discrimination against women and fewer opportunities in socially valued positions; therefore, women do not threaten traditional men's status in society (Whaley et al, 2013). Based on two highly referenced feminist approaches, namely backlash and ameliorative, empirical evidence of the relationship between increases in gender inequality and female homicide seems to be contradictory (Rogers & Alsleben, 2020).…”

“…Previous studies offer contradictory evidence on the relationship between gender inequality and female homicide. Rogers and Alsleben (2020) claim that this might be linked to heterogeneous definitions of gender inequality. It is also plausible that these inconsistent results could be associated with the failure of current research to differentiate between female murders rooted in gender inequality (feminicides) and female homicides unassociated with gender issues.…”

“…“Violence and the threat of violence are quite often effective means of social control” (Whaley et al, 2013, p. 733). In contrast, the amelioration approach argues that increases in gender equality will entail a decrease in violence against women (see Rogers & Alsleben, 2020) because men and women share power and responsibilities both in public and private realms. In other words, the distribution of power in the economic, political, educational spheres and familial and domestic responsibilities are distributed more equitably.…”

Revisión de estudios transnacionales sobre las tasas del delito de homicidio

“…En otros estudios, utilizando como variable independiente la desigualdad de género, y como variable dependiente, la victimización por homicidio de mujeres y hombres por cada 100.000 habitantes, convienen en que, si bien la desigualdad de género debería explicar una parte significativa de la variación en la victimización por homicidio femenino en comparación con una parte más pequeña, pero significativa, de la victimización por homicidio masculina, se concluye que la desigualdad de género es un factor central en la variación de los homicidios, aunque sí convienen que la desigualdad de género está poco operacionalizada, y que tal operacionalización de la desigualdad de género podría afectar la conclusión general de un estudio (Rogers & Alsleben, 2021).…”

The Cross-National Relationship Between Women’s Autonomy and Long-Term Homicide Trends

“…A second limitation is that, while the concept of gender autonomy is foundational to both backlash and amelioration approaches, the literature offers no consensus about the definition and the possible operationalizations of the concept (Rogers & Alsleben, 2021). The study of women's autonomy would benefit from a theoretical framing that explores the differences between measures of women autonomy.…”