In March 2019 11 women and 2 girls were killed by men.
5 were killed after their 50th birthday. All 5of them were killed by men they were personally connected to.
Elize Stevens 50,
Elize was stabbed 86 times in London, by her partner. His defence was his mental health. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Elize had a previous relationship with an abusive man.
We don’t know her story.
Alice Morrow 53,
Alice was found dead following an assault in Belfast. Her partner was sentenced to 21 years for her murder.
Alice had 71 injuries. She sustained a prolonged brutal assault and death.
We know very little about Alice, other than she was a loving mother and grandmother.
Alison McKenzie 55,
Alison was killed by her son, in Middleborough. He was given a hospital order under the Mental Health Act which prevents him from being released from the mental health facility unless overturned by the Home Office or a Mental Health Tribunal.
She had seven stab wounds.
We don’t know Alison’s story, but we know she was stabbed previously by her son when he was 16.
Janette Dunbavand 81,
Janette and her husband, were found dead in their home.
It is believed that he shot her before shooting himself. They had been married for 60 years.
Media reports suggest Janette had dementia and her husband was struggling to cope.
Barbara Heywood 80,
Barbara was stabbed to death at her home in Manchester. In December 2019, a jury at Manchester Crown Court found her husband had killed his wife, but he could not stand trial due to a dementia diagnosis.
Family report she was a victim of domestic abuse. She was loved dearly and had reached out to professionals for support prior to being killed.
Mental illness is frequently used as a defence in femicide.
Millions of people who are diagnosed with a conditions related to their mental health, do not abuse, harm or kill.
*Information has been taken from a variety of trusted media reports, DHR (when published) and the Counting Dead Women website
I intentionally do not use the killers name