Victims of Violence

HOMICIDES

• Males account for 80% of all homicide victims.
• Among children and adolescents killed by violence, 75% are boys.

ARMED CONFLICT

• Men are 1.3 to 8.9 times more likely than women to be killed in war, according to research by Ormhaug, Meier, and Hernes.
• Mass killings of civilian men: “Gendercide of men has been, and continues to be, a common component of political, military, and ethnic conflicts, including mass killings of non-combatant men and boys.”
• Research:
  • Sandesh Sivakumaran: UN Responses to Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys in Situations of Armed Conflict

Strategies and Solutions:

1. Stop hiding male victims and male deaths.Speak out when media reports, governments, or international agencies ignore the fact that men and boys make up most homicide victims and a large share of wartime deaths.
2. Demand equal recognition in armed conflict.Civilian protection efforts must explicitly include men and boys targeted in war and mass atrocities.
3. Count every victim.Publish sex- and age-disaggregated data on homicide, assault, abduction, and conflict deaths.
4. Prevent violence early.Support safer communities, youth intervention, and family-strengthening efforts that reduce pathways into violence.
5. Reduce lethal risk factors.Address weapon trafficking, alcohol abuse, and other drivers that make violence more deadly.
6. Serve male victims with dignity.Ensure men and boys have access to trauma-informed medical, legal, and psychosocial support.

Press Release:

• • October 9, 2023: Media Reports Must Cease the Erasure of Male Victims of Hamas Attacks