New BHC Study to Update Information on Femicide in Bulgaria

108 murders of women falling within the definition of femicide, researchers of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee found in a study of judicial practice in cases related to femicide across the country for the period 2018–2023. In the coming months, we will analyze the collected data and integrate it into the existing site spasena.org, where we've collected data and continuosly monitor the cases of murders of women by the hands of men.

The study is being carried out within the framework of the project "Mapping Femicide in Bulgaria", funded by the Bulgarian Fund for Women. In 2018, this site was created as part of a previous project - "Mapping Femicide in Bulgaria", within which data from court decisions for the period 2012-2017 were analyzed. An interactive map was also created. In 2021 we have expanded its goals and messages to become a platform for assistance to victims, witnesses and actual or potential perpetrators of domestic and gender-based violence.

Violence can be physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or economic. It does not have to have reached extreme forms – the attempt at such violence, the forced restriction of privacy, personal freedom and personal rights also fall into the category of “violence”. In order for it to be “domestic” according to the law, it must have been committed against relatives, as well as against people who were either in a family relationship or in de facto cohabitation on a family basis.

“Gender-based” is violence that is directed against a person because of their gender. Not every act of gender-based violence is considered a crime in Bulgaria.

But often it can be a crime punishable by general law (for example, systematic surveillance, bodily harm, murder, etc.).

The project "Mapping Femicide in Bulgaria" and this article are being realised with the financial support of the Bulgarian Fund for Women and the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bulgarian Fund for Women, the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the Bulgarian Fund for Women, the EU nor the EAC can be held responsible for them.