2019: UK women killed by men or where a man is the principal suspect
2018: 147 UK women killed by men or where a man is the principal suspect
2017: 147 UK women killed by men or where a man is the principal suspect
2016: 125 UK women killed by men or where a man is the principal suspect
UK women suspected to have been killed by men in 2015
149 UK Women suspected to have been killed by men in 2014
144 UK Women suspected to have been killed by men in 2013
126 UK Women killed by men in 2012
On New Year’s Day, 2012, 20-year-old Kirsty Treloar got a text from her boyfriend Myles Williams:
“Okay wer all gud now and my new yrs ressy is that I aint going to hit u again and I won’t hit u 4 this yr next yr the yr after that the next yr after that.”
The next day he broke into her family’s home, stabbed her brother and sister as they tried to help, then he dragged her into the back of his mother’s car and drove her away. She was found dead 2 miles away, dumped behind a wheelie bin. Kirsty had been stabbed 29 times.
Michael Atherton, 42, also sent a text a New Year text. Shortly before midnight, he sent a text to his partner, Susan McGoldrick, saying he was going out and would spend the night away because he didn’t like her sister Alison Turnbull, 44, with whom she was spending the evening. But Susan and Alison came home before he had left. Atherton, who held a gun licence despite a history of arrests for domestic violence dating back 10 years, shot Susan, Alison and Alison’s 24 year old daughter Tanya, before killing himself.
On New Year’s Day, Aaron Mann, 31 repeatedly hit Claire O’Connor, 38, with a blunt object before smothering her with a pillow. Her badly beaten body was found wrapped in her son’s sleeping bag and covered in a dirty sheet in the boot of her car on January 2.
On the 2nd January 2012, 48 year-old Stephen Farrow stabbed 77-year-old Betty Yates in the head and neck and beat her with her own walking stick.
On 3rd of January John McGrory used a dog lead to strangle 39-year-old Marie McGrory. Garry Kane, 41, killed his 87-year-old grandmother Kathleen Milward, though 15 blunt force trauma” injuries on her head and neck.
So, in the first three days of 2012, 8 women in the UK were killed through men’s violence. Three days, eight dead women: 3 shot, 2 stabbed, 1 strangled, 1 smothered and one beaten to death. Eight women aged between 20 and 87, their killers aged between 19 and 48 were their husbands, partners, boyfriends or ex’s, sister’s partner, aunt’s partner, robber and grandson.
Perhaps because it was the beginning of the year, I just started counting, and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop. Since then, I’ve counted over 366 women killed through suspected male violence.
At first I counted women killed through domestic violence. Then, on March 9th 2012, Ahmad Otak stabbed and killed Samantha Sykes, 18 and Kimberley Frank, 17. Otak wasn’t the boyfriend of either of them, but of Eliza Frank, Kimberley’s sister. After killing Kimberly and Samantha in front of Eliza, he abducted Eliza and drove to Dover in an attempt to escape to France. The murders of Samantha and Kimberley don’t fit the definition of domestic violence, but they’re absolutely about a man trying to exert power, control and coercion in his relationship. Their deaths made it clear to me that concentrating on what we see as domestic violence isn’t enough. It’s wider than that. The murders of Kimberley and Samantha by were no less about male violence against women that they would have been if he had been the boyfriend of one of them.
Then there’s Andrew Flood, a taxi-driver who strangled and robbed Margaret Biddolph, 78 and Annie Leyland, 88. When I learned he’d also robbed a third woman it was clear to me that there was a pattern to his actions. In fact, last year, five older women, aged between 75 and 88 were killed by much younger men, aged between 15 and 43 as they were robbed or mugged, including Irene Lawless, 68 who was raped, beaten and strangled by 26-year-old Darren Martin. I don’t think the murders of Margaret, Annie and Irene were any less about misogyny, than those of women killed by someone they were related to.
So my list doesn’t just include women killed though domestic violence, I could women killed through male violence. I want us to stop seeing the killings of women by men as isolated incidents, to put them together and to see the connections and patterns.
The murders of some women barely cause a ripple, some don’t make it into the national media. If the press take this seriously, there’s more chance of people seeing what is going on, of understanding the implications of male violence and to say ‘no more’.
Karen Ingala Smith 
My mums best friend was smothered January 2012 by her ex boyfriend. He wanted them to get back together but she didn’t like how controlling he was so he had sex with her and then smothered her. Phillip Brown was convicted of murder feb 2013
Karrie-Ann,
I’m so sorry for your loss, I think you’re talking about Deborah Levey, aren’t you?
xx
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My best friend was beaten & bullied by her now ex boyfriend.
My mum’s friend was hit by her husband. She is the mother of my best friend.
I’ve called the police on my previous neighbours as he was throwing her around the room, choking her, pulling her hair. The police took him away.
The house that shares a fence with my house at the bottom of garden, one night I had to call the police on as he was yelling and yelling and shouting and f-ing & blinding at a woman. The police came and were there an awfully long time before speaking to the woman alone outside.
I know of at least 3 men from my hometown who are known violent domestic abusers.
A fortnight since I heard my nect door but one neighbours arguing, he shouted at her “you lying fucking cunt” whilst their 2 infant school sons & the baby were upstairs (not) sleeping. I listened intently but I didn’t hear anything violent, now I know what type of man he is, I’ll always listen intently in case I do hear it.
A few years ago on the outskirts of Leeds my partner’s boss’ street was cordoned off because a man had murdered his wife and children.
Domestic violence is everywhere if you pay enough attention, most people don’t. They look the other way and pretend it doesn’t happen to the people they know. They’re wrong, it happens everywhere.
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Feels strange ‘liking’ this post but your blog is a very important platform. Somber and sobering. I can only hope one day you have a great and happy reason to shut it down.
Feels so strange ‘linking’ this post, but your blog is such an important platform- thank you for creating it. Somber and sobering. I hope one day you have a great and happy reason to shut it down.
Amanda, nothing is stopping you from counting whatever you want to count. If you think it’s such hypocrisy, why not do the work yourself instead of expecting Karen to do it for you?
can you count dead men as well? recently read your article about incorrect statistics; personally i hate them as am person centred but what you neglect to argue is that although there are countless routes of support and awareness for women – although it does not minimise the difficulty reaching out – but there is not the same level of support for men and your article is abusive as it would dissuade men from reaching out. It doesn’t matter which gender gets hurt more; what matters is preventing any harm and one gender fighters like yourself are a disgrace. I shall also assume you are a coward too as i doubt this post will be published. I challenge you to campaign for men too; speak to male victims hear the stories about losing contact with children having services turn away from them; e.g. Working Together 2013 “working with women and children who have experienced abuse”, and write an article of support rather than focusing on women and bashing the statistics of male victims. You could call your new campaign end violence towards everyone.
I challenge you to use your own time to pursue your interests as I will do with mine.
Surely that’s like fighting abusive behaviour in care homes but only if it’s directed towards the female patients? Sorry, I’m just a bit confused. Do you not think there should be equality in the approach to tackling domestic abuse?
No. Because there is sex inequality in society.
P.s. I note my previous comment isn’t on display. Did you mean “No” male victims don’t interest you or are you just saying need isn’t as great? I saw your article on statistics; and I don’t have faith in them as I’m 50/50 on whether something will happen or not. Is there anything else you could signpost me to as you’ve sparked a real interest now – which sounds wrong to say when discussing abuse
Thank you for posting, you have surprised me. I will continue to fight, but i will add that i believe it is hypocrisy to argue for equality when you ignore the potential of women to be just as violent as men. You are seeing our gender thro rosetinted glasses. Catherine, continue looking. Dvmen.co.uk is a useful site and i knw a chap who has suffered abuse and is starting a blog. I will post the link here when it becomes active. To any man or woman who reads this and is suffering reach out and find help, the website above lists phonelines, and womens aid site is a brilliant tool. Noone should suffer abuse regardless of gender, race, age, sexuality or whatever other label we put on ourselves. Everyone is simply a person. Keep up your campaign karen, even if its only for women its still a good cause
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So glad you are doing this. I have been wanting to do the same for years but have done it only intermittently and bittily. Is anyone compiling statistics on children killed in domestic violence? Particularly those killed following custody battles and divorce?
Hi Penelope,
Thank you.
Not that I know of. I wrote a piece on children killed in 2012 here http://wp.me/p3jI2H-1Q but am not doing this on an on-going basis. Do let me know if you come across anyone.
Karen
I do feel utterly ashamed of my sex and your campaign needs all the support it can get. The photographs and reports are truly shocking. The recent survey that 44% of UK women are abused is incredible, and it is sobering to think that every second or third woman I pass in the street has been a victim in some way. I think the problem is that many men because of their insecurity, are afraid of women by and large, and often feel inferior in so many ways, so the reaction of the brutish and ignorant is to strike out, and the male being generally stronger than the female the result is terrible abuse. In almost every sphere of life women are diminished and patronised in some way by the males who dominate business, politics and the media. Look at Westminster, look at the way women deemed to be ‘lookers’ by Top Gear are placed in the front row of the audience as a backdrop to the patronising presenters, and look at the minute proportion of women running top companies. Those who are get comments about their looks more than their business prowess. I work in the construction industry, and you can imagine what that is like! The most powerful woman on the planet, Angela Merkel, is nicknamed Mutti by the German Press. Would a male version be called Daddy, I think not.
Your campaign, and the abuse survey, show that there is still a mountain to climb regarding true gender equality,and this is just in the UK, never mind the middle east, India, Pakistan etc etc.
Thank you Richard. I agree.
I am going to court soon, after my ex partner attacked both me and my 15 year old daughter, before leaving us 4 hours from home, with no way of getting back. RIP all those who weren’t as lucky as me xxx
Good luck with the court case Sharon. Hope you get justice.
Yet another death in Salford today through domestic violence….If this helps toward saving a life then it’s worth doing!
I would say that Karen is doing exactly what the Government doesnt want doing … compiling the evidence around sexist murders and violence in the home. I recently took on an ex editor of Loaded Dominic someone or other about how he had spent 10 years promoting sexism and violent pornography through the media and his published change of heart didn’t seem very convincing. He wrote to my work trying to get me the sack saying that one comment on his Facebook page to this effect was me launching a hate campaign against him. These people do not like the evidence being collated which is why they try to make sure that sexist violence is refered to as Domestic violence, but it’s not arguments about the washing up that ends in people being killed but more of men arguing about the right to denigrate, humiliate and violate their partners and children because they are of a higher caste in our society.
I work in the court system and day after see and deal with women and girls who have suffered physical and sexual violence. I just long for the day when society’s attitude towards violence against women and girls ends.
Thank you!
I was in prison for 12 years for killing my batterer after he threatened to dismember my child and I. I had newspaper clipping of more than 400 women and children just in my state who were killed by abusers while I was locked up. I thought there should be a place where their faces were not forgotten, where their names were not forgotten. Shortly before I got out a guard confiscated my clippings. Now I do public speaking and I show slides of the face of a victim I knew personally. One face can mean more than any statistic. Keep up the good work. I am working to get legislation changed in my state. Can I use some of your posts???
Liysa, So sorry that you suffered.
Yes, you’re welcome to use my posts.
I think I just located you on twitter. I tweet at @K_IngalaSmith and about the work around women killed through men’s violence at @countdeadwomen It’ll be good to hear how you’re getting on.
All the very best,
Karen
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As the victim of domestic violence myself I am well aware of the 2 women a week statistic and have long thought someone should be shouting louder about it.
This campaign gives me hope that a voice can be found for the victims. I shall follow your campaign and hope that you can make that difference…
Thank you for doing this.
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The government is here to create and maintain disorder. It was never for us. It is to the benefit of the men at the very top. They do not care about us. In fact, they enjoy our pain and suffering.
I am surprised to find your blog, by coincidence, approximately two weeks after I had set out to keep a spreadsheet of all incidences of violence against women I saw in the press. I am in Australia. From approximately ten days of keeping the spreadsheet, I have ten deaths and one serious injury. That’s just from reading two or three Australian media outlets and doesn’t include much that’s going on in the Western, Southern or north of the country; due to time constraints I have kept it to “just what I notice while reading”. This was to be a blog post for next White Ribbon day. I wish I had found your blog earlier – I’ll be following @CountingDeadWomen with interest. Thank you for what you are doing.
And the same to you. Sounds similar to what happened to me, almost two years ago. Goof luck and hope to hear how you’re getting on.
Governments and manufacturers have recognised and worked consistently to reduce the carnage on the roads caused by vehicles; it’s time to recognise and put a similar effort into reducing the carnage caused by men against women.
We need to educate society to respect women.We need to remove all symbols which incite disrespect and contempt, whether Page3, Internet porn, TV drama, sexist advertising.
We need to instigate awareness programmes in all schools.
We need to create non sexist reading/play material for our children.
We need to educate police to respect women and to treat them equally under the law.
We need to make full use of hatecrime legislation to outlaw misogynist language.
Signed petition and will share the link. I’m the son, brother and nephew to athertons murder victims on New Year’s Day 2012
Thank you so much for signing. I am so sorry for your loss.
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_1_in_3_schoolgirls_experiencing_sexist_violence_in_UK_schools
Hi Karen
Wondering if you could flag my petition up too – I believe that violence against females starts in school with boys learning they can get away with violence from an early age. Then its just a matter of time …
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Thanks for doing this – hope one all murders by men on women and girls will recorded, then the genocide will seen for what it is. But the numbers would shocked even those who know about murders in domestic violence or murder of the non-prostituted when in a sex crime. For it is considered that prostituted women and girls are likely to die from violent causes, including murder or so-called accidental death – 18 times more than any other group of women.
I am trying to get some memorial for the disappeared and murdered prostituted women and girls – but this is extremely hard and depressing coz most of these disappearances/murders are never recorded anywhere. This is mainly because the sex trade is very effective at hiding this violence – but also because we live in a culture that decides that prostituted are not human enough to care if they are murdered.
The prostituted are made sub-human in life – please help to end making them nothing in death.
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Thank you for sharing this Donna.
I’ve signed this petition and forwarded it on to various womens’ networks.
Thank you very much.