Thalia Ruiz Ramirez

News Editor

Photo via @Sᴀɴsɪ꯭ֺ🪐 and Pngegg

 Every day, approximately 30 women attempt suicide as a result of domestic abuse

according to the National Centre for Domestic Violence. Much of society still clings to the notion of “stranger danger”—the idea that the greatest threats to safety come from unfamiliar faces according to The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary. But this belief distorts the reality of violence against women, often obscuring the real danger that lurks closer to home.

The myth of “stranger danger” is not only misleading but harmful—it encourages women to lower their guard around familiar faces while heightening their anxiety toward unknown individuals. This misplaced focus not only perpetuates ignorance about the real dangers women face, but also distracts us from creating protective measures where they are needed most: at home.

Statistics show that strangers do not perpetrate the vast majority of sexual abuse and assault cases. In 2022, 90% of reported sexual assault victims were women and girls, with 74% of them knowing their assailant personally. Whether it’s a family member, friend, or intimate partner, these are the relationships where women are most vulnerable. Only 13% of sexual assaults were committed by strangers, according to Statistics Canada. This stark reality calls into question the conventional wisdom that shapes our understanding of safety and trust.

The tragic case of Kristina Joksimovic, a former Miss Switzerland finalist, offers a horrifying example of how the real threat to women often emerges from within the home. According to The Indian Express, in February 2023, Joksimovic was murdered by her husband, Thomas, in a brutal act of domestic violence that shocked Switzerland and reverberated internationally. Joksimovic was not only strangled but her body was also mutilated and dismembered in a chilling display of intimate partner violence. Thomas, who confessed to the crime, used a blender to “puree” parts of her body—a gruesome detail that emerged during his trial.

While Joksimovic’s case made headlines in Europe, stories of domestic violence are tragically common across the world. In Kenya, the death of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei further underscores the devastating impact of gender-based violence. Cheptegei, who had recently competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, was set on fire by her boyfriend in a horrific attack that left her with burns on 75% of her body, says CBC News. She succumbed to her injuries shortly after the attack, sparking outrage and a national reckoning on the issue of intimate partner violence.

Cheptegei’s death was not an isolated incident. In recent years, Kenya has seen several high-profile cases of domestic violence involving female athletes, including Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop and Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee Mutua. These cases have fueled the growing conversation about the “silent epidemic” of violence against women in Kenya. According to the 2023 Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey, more than 11 million women in the country have experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner during their lifetime, and 2.8 million endured such violence in the past year alone. Cheptegei’s death, in particular, sparked the creation of Tirop’s Angels, an advocacy group that aims to combat gender-based violence through awareness campaigns and survivor support services.

The murders of Joksimovic and Cheptegei represent just two of many cases across the globe that expose the myth of “stranger danger” for what it truly is—a convenient, but misleading narrative. Women are not most at risk from the shadowy figure lurking in a dark alleyway; they are far more likely to be harmed by someone they know and trust. Domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, and gender-based violence cut across all cultural, social, and economic lines, making them truly global issues.

In many societies, the stigma surrounding domestic abuse further complicates the ability of women to seek help or escape dangerous situations. For some women, the fear of being judged or ostracised by their communities keeps them trapped in cycles of violence. Others may be financially dependent on their abusers, or they may lack the legal resources or social support needed to leave safely. This is where the responsibility of governments, non-governmental organisations( NGOs), and communities becomes vital: creating safe environments, ensuring accessible legal recourse, and promoting awareness about the real dangers women face. Women deserve to feel safe in the spaces they occupy daily, and that can only happen when we acknowledge the true sources of harm and work to dismantle them.

Additional resources: A 24/7 call service offered by the government of Québec at 1-800-363-9010