The Observer has launched a campaign to highlight the hidden scandal of older women killed by men as it reveals that 278 women aged 60 and over were killed between 2009 and 2018.

The End Femicide campaign – with a specific ‘Name It, Know It, Stop It’ strapline – was launched in the paper on Sunday in advance of International Women’s Day today (March 8).

The launch comes as statistics have shown that 1,425 women were killed in ten years and since 2016 recorded domestic abuse-related crimes have increased by 63%, according to the Femicide Census, the database which the Observer is partnering with.

Lucy Rock, deputy editor of the Observer told the SoE: “The response to the launch of The Observer’s Femicide campaign – Name it, Know it, Stop it – has been huge, tapping into genuine anger that the killing of women outside as well as inside the family, is not being addressed.

“Meanwhile, the killings continue – one woman every three days. Hopefully raising issues about why this is happening and how it can be stopped will make a difference.”

The campaign’s specific tagline aims to better identify femicide (Name It), to improve the knowledge of it (Know It) and to encourage improved methods to end it (Stop It).

The paper also highlighted how the government promised an extra £19m to tackle violence against women and girls in last week’s budget – but Women’s Aid has calculated that £393m is required to provide sustainable services.

Working alongside Karen Ingala Smith and Clarrie O’Callaghan, founders of Femicide Census, the campaign shines a light on the bare statistics which necessitate the call for action. In the UK, at least 2 million people experience domestic abuse every year where the majority will not see justice in the courts for this.

The Observer’s editorial adds, “The pandemic has kept a spotlight on domestic abuse and femicide for an unprecedented entire year. We can no longer turn away. If femicide isn’t tackled now, then when?”

More information about the campaign can be found here.