“Before a man kills a woman, many things happen, various forms of violence that accumulate,” explains Aracelly de León of the Women’s Institute of the University of Panama.
Panama classified femicide as a crime more than a decade ago (2013), But lethal violence against women is far from disappearing. Between insufficient protective measuresa sexist culture, increasingly less isolated cases and figures that do not decrease, the warning is clear: the problem persists.
Gender violence with fatal results was a fact in Panamanian society, but since it was classified as a crime, the term femicide has made the problem visiblealthough this does not always translate into less violence against women.
According to official data, in Panama this phenomenon has followed a linear trend in the last 10 years. In 2015, 29 cases were recorded, a figure that dropped to 18 in 2017, and rebounded to reach its highest point. in 2020, with 31 victims.
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The 2020 statistics, the year in which the covid-19 pandemic forced the world to confine itself, seem to confirm a complicated truth, that the femicide usually lives under the same roof as the victim.
Since then, records have ranged between 15 and 23 cases annually, with 15 in 2023 the lowest in recent years; In 2025, 20 victims were recorded. So far in 2026, 11 cases have already been reported.
Beyond the figures, specialists agree that the problem responds to a network of social factors ranging from violence in today’s society to cultural factors and lack of strength in prevention measures.
In conversation with The Pressthe criminologist and sociologist Tirso Castillo de Lemos explained that femicide It is a crime motivated by hate, control and dominationin which the aggressor perceives the woman as a possession. This profile is usually marked by behaviors such as extreme jealousy, violence, control and a misogynistic vision.
According to the specialist, the majority of cases in Panama are linked to partners or ex-partnersespecially when the victim decides to end the relationship, which the aggressor interprets as a loss of control or an “offense” to his ego.
Warn that femicide is not an isolated eventbut the final phase of a cycle of domestic violence that includes assault, reconciliation and repetition of abuse. In many cases, The victims had previously reported.
“We are facing an extremely sexist society, a society where violence against women is permissive.“, he points out. He adds that domestic violence is, without a doubt, a precursor to femicide, since in most cases the direct victims are women.
Castillo de Lemos emphasizes that, although the protection measures for the victim should change, with more than just restraining orders, consideration should also be given to increasing penalties for the aggressors.
In Panama, justice can currently apply 25 to 30 years in prison to femicides, but the professor at the University of Panama believes that the years in prison should increase to much more than that.
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Likewise, it states that protection measures for victims must improve, and that Implementing control bracelets is a great way to reinforce these measuressince it notifies the authorities when the aggressor violates the restraining order.
From a social perspective, Aracelly De Leondirector of the Women’s Institute at the University of Panama, points out that these crimes are usually preceded by multiple forms of violence. “Before a man kills a woman, many things happen, various forms of violence that accumulate.”he explains.
The expert points out that, on many occasions, even though the victim experiences violence, they do not recognize it in time or do not report it, which makes timely intervention difficult. “There are women who feel ashamed or do not identify that they are victims of domestic violence.”, he states.
The professor also agreed that there is a need to strengthen protection mechanisms, since she considers that the institutional response remains limited and the measures are often not enough.
“They give her a piece of paper and send her home and many times she ends up sleeping with the enemy,” he questions.
The clinical psychologist at the comprehensive care center Women’s MinistryYaravis Almanza, mentions that violence against women It is structured within the social mechanisms of power, that responds to cultural aspects in parenting models for boys and girls, where children are taught “that they are the ones in power, that they do not cry or that they are invincible.”
He differed with Professor Castillo de Lemos on the point of increasing penalties, as he points out that although a measure like that “may have a lot of impact”, what must be changed is the education and parenting model so that there is equality between boys and girls from a young age.
He assured that although the bracelets would be very useful, the first step to follow is for the victim to file a complaint.
The numbers change, but the problem continues, and behind each number there is a story of pain that could have been avoided.
