ByMariela Infante Erazo, Alejandra Mohor Bellalta, and Paula Salvo Del Canto

According to UNODC’s Global Study on Homicide 2023, Chile remains one of the safest countries in Latin America. Homicide rates have increased, however, as have gendered crimes that victimize women and girls. Additionally, state action and media coverage regarding security in Chile have primarily focused on addressing economically motivated crimes, and efforts have been directed towards the promotion of punitive policies rather than evidence-based and prevention-focused approaches.

Security policies in Chile align with the belief that gun ownership makes citizens safer. Promoting gun ownership to enhance citizens’ security is not without risk, as higher levels of gun ownership have been linked to increased levels of GBV, heightened crime rates, and decreased respect for human rights.

This research paper—Critical Gaps: Firearms and Gender-based Violence in Chile—provides an overview of the current status of gender-responsive small arms control and violent crime in Chile, highlighting institutional shortcomings and failure to effectively articulate the relationship between gender-based violence and small arms control. This paper outlines a roadmap to better identify synergies between policies to address both issues.

Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2025. 12p.

By Giovanna Maletta

Some European Union (EU) member states—as well as the EU, through Eurostat—collect and publish useful and gender-disaggregated information about violent crimes, intentional homicides, or domestic violence. In addition

to using different methodologies and definitions, however, available data does not always include information on the weapons used in the commission of such crimes, the relationship between victim and perpetrator, or the context in which the violence has occurred.

Available data collected at the international, regional, and national level does not allow for a comprehensive picture of the trends and dynamics of gender-based violence (GBV), including firearm violence, within the EU.

The EU is working to establish a common understanding of GBV at the EU level and among its member states, and to detail minimum standards for the criminalization of GBV against women and domestic violence—thus providing the opportunity to address the use of firearms to facilitate and commit GBV across the EU. These regulatory initiatives also have the potential to improve the availability of relevant information by promoting the collection of comparable data and the development of harmonized practices in collecting and reporting this information, which in turn will allow states to better monitor and adapt measures being taken to tackle GBV.

These EU initiatives could benefit from establishing linkages with the existing EU framework for the control of the production, trade, and possession of firearms.

KEY FINDINGS • Some European Union (EU) member states—as well as the EU, through Eurostat— collect and publish useful and gender-disaggregated information about violent crimes, intentional homicides, or domestic violence. In addition to using different methodologies and definitions, however, available data does not always include

information on the weapons used in the commission of such crimes, the relationship between victim and perpetrator, or the context in which the violence has occurred. • Available data collected at the international, regional, and national level does not allow for a comprehensive picture of the trends and dynamics of gender-based violence (GBV), including firearm violence, within the EU. • The EU is working to establish a common understanding of GBV at the EU level and among its member states, and to detail minimum standards for the criminalization of GBV against women and domestic violence—thus providing the opportunity to address the use of firearms to facilitate and commit GBV across the EU. These regulatory initiatives also have the potential to improve the availability of relevant information by promoting the collection of comparable data and the development of harmonized practices in collecting and reporting this information, which in turn will allow states to better monitor

and adapt measures being taken to tackle GBV. • These EU initiatives could benefit from establishing linkages with the existing EU framework for the control of the production, trade, and possession of firearms.

Brussels: Flemish Institute for Peace, 28p.