Femicide in Poland Highlights Legal and Data Gaps
Femicide – defined as the killing of a woman due to her gender – remains an unclassified crime under Polish law, and awareness of the issue is still alarmingly low. According to the think tank Femicide in Poland, a major challenge lies in the lack of unified data collection across state institutions. Without a centralized system, tracking the scale of gender-based killings is nearly impossible.
“We don’t have nationwide statistics, despite Poland’s obligations under the Istanbul Convention. Each institution keeps its separate records, which makes meaningful analysis very difficult,” Alicja Serafin of Femicide in Poland said.
Based on monitoring conducted from 2017 to 2023, the organization estimates there are between 100 and 200 femicides annually in Poland. The group is developing an interactive map to visualize these cases and calling for better law enforcement and education.
The goal is not only to collect data but also to push for systemic change in how Poland prevents violence against women.
(Newseria)
