Femicide 2013 it was reported to have the highest rate of femicide in Colombia. It was reported that there were 144 homicides in Cali, in 2013; this is significantly higher than in other major Colombian cities. Macho culture has been a key factor to the rapid escalation of femicide in Latin America in general. Inequality of power between men and women, as well as the lack of resources provided for women, prevent them from seeking help and safety. On July 6, 2015, Colombia passed a new law stating femicide is a legally defined crime with 20 to 50 years' jail time.
Femicide and investigation can often differ based on race of the victim. According to Diana Russell and Jill Radford, lesbicide, also known as homophobic femicide, has a long history of legalized murder of lesbians in many different cultural contexts: Today, lesbianism is no longer a capital crime but it remains criminalized by many governments and condemned by most religions. Torture and murder of lesbians occurs in every part of the world, even in "developed" countries. According to Dr. Susan Hawthorne of Victoria University, "...domination is exemplified in the punishment of lesbians as outsiders in patriarchal culture..." Dr. Hawthorne goes on to