Black Femicides Matter: Conceptualizing the Killings of Black Girls and Women as Structural and Cultural Violence

Abstract

Although men of color are disproportionately the victims of violence in the United States, Black women face a substantial risk. This work presents a layered commentary on the growing epidemic of Black femicide. First, hypervisibility and invisibility within institutions is explored. Second, using feminist victimology and intersectionality frameworks, four forms of Black femicide are analyzed: gun violence, intimate partner violence, targeted violence, and institutional violence. Third, topics of missing and insufficient information on Black femicide are probed. Fourth, procedural limitations and recommendations for future works are proposed. This essay seeks to improve discussions surrounding Black femicide in research and practice.