Female homicide victims in South Africa
South Africa: Female homicide victims was 3,914 homicides in 2022. ▲ Rising
Female homicide victims in South Africa, 2006–2022
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
In 2022, female homicide victims in South Africa stood at 3,914 homicides. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.2% on the previous year and up 63.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female homicide victims in South Africa peaked at 3,914 homicides in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2,400 homicides, in 2011.
South Africa ranks 4th of 138 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Female homicide victims in South Africa, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2,727 homicides | — |
| 2007 | 2,679 homicides | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 2,546 homicides | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 2,596 homicides | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 2,742 homicides | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 2,400 homicides | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 2,639 homicides | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 2,930 homicides | +11.0% |
| 2018 | 2,771 homicides | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 2,695 homicides | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 3,255 homicides | +20.8% |
| 2022 | 3,914 homicides | +20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,637 homicides | 2,546 homicides | 2,727 homicides | 4 |
| 2010s | 2,696 homicides | 2,400 homicides | 2,930 homicides | 6 |
| 2020s | 3,584 homicides | 3,255 homicides | 3,914 homicides | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 588,323 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 594,743 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 603,304 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female homicide victims in South Africa?
- Female homicide victims in South Africa was 3,914 homicides in 2022, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female homicide victims recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3,914 homicides in 2022.
- What is the lowest female homicide victims recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,400 homicides in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for female homicide victims?
- South Africa ranks 4th out of 138 countries with data for 2022.
- Is female homicide victims rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female homicide victims. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicidesof female victims .