The Killing of Black Women in America: A Public Health Crisis – UNM HSC Newsroom

Black women in America are being killed at rates far higher than any other group, according to Tameka Gillum,PhD, associate professor in The University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH). Gillum and her co-authors note this pattern represents a severe health disparity and warn that ignoring it costs lives.
Their summary of the evidence and call to action, for what they say is an urgent and neglected public health crisis, has been featured in high profile journals, including the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 
Gillum worked with colleagues from UNM, The University of Maryland Baltimore County, and a Milwaukee-based community organization.
Together, they found that in 2020, Black women were murdered at a rate of 11.6 per 100,000 people, while White women were murdered at a rate of three homicides per 100,000 people, that same year. The starkest contrast was seen in Wisconsin, where Black women were 20 times more likely to be killed than White women. 
Many of these deaths happen at the hands of someone the victim knows, Gillum said. More than half of Black women murdered in 2020 were killed by current or former romantic partners. The authors also report that 90% of Black women who were murdered knew the person responsible.
 
 
These findings show a clear and severe disparity. The consistently higher homicide rates for Black women represent a critical public health issue that merits a focused response.
– Tameka Gillum,PhD, Associate Professor, UNM College of Population Health
Their study notes that the psychological burden of living with this reality takes a toll on Black women's mental health. Knowing each day that your life is devalued and that you face higher risk of harm creates ongoing stress and trauma, Gillum said.
"Black women experience a significant psychological burden, existing in a context where there is such disregard for their health and well-being,” she continued. “We worry for the welfare of ourselves, our daughters, our mothers, sisters, partners, friends, and other loved ones.”
Gillum's team also found concerning patterns around pregnancy. Black women who are pregnant or recently gave birth face especially high murder risk, she said.
Between 2000 and 2019, homicide became a leading cause of death for Black women both during and after pregnancy, they found. The studies observed that 42% of Black women who died from causes not related to childbirth were killed by a form of violence.
The authors point to several reasons why Black women face this sort of danger. Harmful stereotypes about Black women may make both intimate partners and police officers more likely to use violence against them in a number of scenarios, Gillum said.
Additionally, Black communities often experience more poverty, more exposure to guns and heavier policing due to structural racism, she added. All these factors may combine to create dangerous social conditions.
Gillum explained that systemic racism creates conditions where Black women are less safe. 
"Due to a history of problematic encounters with the police, Black women are hesitant to call law enforcement even when concerned for their own safety, as sometimes this has resulted in their own deaths at the hands of responding officers," she said.
Gillum's team found that gun deaths were especially concentrated among Black women compared to other groups. Access to guns in communities with high poverty and unemployment increases the likelihood of these outcomes, she said.
The authors report that between 2015 and 2021—of the 100 police officers involved in the fatal shootings of Black women—only nine were fired, five were charged, and none were convicted. Since 2015, Black women have made up 20% of women shot and killed by police, even though they are only 13% of the female population in the country. The research found that more than half of Black women killed were not armed.
Gillum said the impact of this public health emergency is multifaceted. Every Black woman killed leaves behind family and community members dealing with trauma and loss. High murder rates during pregnancy affect birth rates and family health in Black communities.
Despite these alarming statistics, she said the issue receives little attention. She noted there are no national databases that properly track deaths of Black women. She also said media coverage often ignores or misreports cases of violence involving Black women. 
The authors expressed solidarity with efforts to address missing and murdered Indigenous women, another community losing members with little accountability or action. 
"For any other health disparity of this magnitude, we would be drawing due attention and investing appropriate resources,” Gillum said. “But since it is Black women's lives at stake, the issue fades to the background.” 
The publications emphasize that investment in Black communities is critical. Centuries of social inequality have created conditions that put Black women at risk, Gillum said. She believes policies that address poverty, support job creation and improve neighborhoods could support violence reduction.
"These findings show a clear and severe disparity,” she said. “The consistently higher homicide rates for Black women represent a critical public health issue that merits a focused response," Gillum said.

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Gilliam Nii Lighter

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