A Call to Action: a socioecological and public health analysis of femicide in Trinidad And Tobago

Femicide, the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender, has reached critical levels in Trinidad and Tobago. While traditionally treated strictly as a criminal justice issue, femicide operates as a severe public health crisis. This analytical paper utilizes the socioecological framework to systematically evaluate the multi-layered drivers of femicide across the twin-island nation. The analysis indicates that femicide in Trinidad and Tobago is driven by a combination of legislative gaps, deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, weak institutional responses to gender-based violence, and gender inequality resulting in a systemic failure to protect vulnerable females. To combat this epidemic, Trinidad and Tobago must deploy an integrated, multi-sectoral strategy. Consequently, this analysis issues a Call to Action, using a public health approach for violence prevention as a roadmap for Trinidad and Tobago to institute actionable, structural policies against femicide. A comprehensive list of recommendations is included.