Black women aged 25-44 in the United States face a homicide rate nearly four times higher than their white counterparts, according to a new study published in The Lancet medical journal. The analysis, which examined data from 30 states between 1999 and 2020, reveals a persistent and alarming racial disparity in murder rates that has remained virtually unchanged for over two decades.
In 2020, the homicide rate for Black women in this age group was 11.6 per 100,000, compared to 3 per 100,000 for white women. The study found that racial inequities in homicide rates increased in 11 states since 1999, with Wisconsin showing the highest disparity. There, Black women aged 25-44 were 20 times more likely to die by homicide than white women in 2019 and 2020.
The research also highlighted a significant increase in firearm-related homicides, with women in the USA having more than twice the odds of being killed by a gun in 2019-2020 compared to 1999-2003. This trend disproportionately affects Black women across all regions of the country.
Lead author Bernadine Waller, a postdoctoral psychiatry research fellow at Columbia University, expressed disappointment at the lack of comprehensive research on this issue. The study’s authors stress the urgent need for action, calling for federal legislation to reduce gun access and address structural factors contributing to gun violence.
The findings underscore Malcolm X’s famous observation that “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman,” highlighting the ongoing struggle for Black women’s safety and well-being in America.
See “Disturbing Disparities in Homicide Rates Highlight Urgent Need for Action on Black Women’s Safety” (February 12, 2024)
