Abstract

This study examines how territorial inequality and governance capacity shape the geography of intimate femicide in Chile. While most research on gender-based violence emphasizes individual or relational risk factors, less attention has been paid to the structural and institutional conditions that determine women's vulnerability across places. Using municipal-level data for 2008-2022, we analyze the association between femicide rates, human development, and local state capacity. Results show that municipalities with higher human development exhibit lower femicide rates, but this protective effect depends on the strength of local governance. Where administrative and security capacities are strong, development translates into greater safety for women; where they are weak, socioeconomic progress alone does not prevent lethal violence. These findings highlight how uneven development and institutional asymmetries mediate gendered risks, showing that women's security is not only a matter of social norms or household conditions but of territorial justice and state capability. Strengthening local institutional capacity is therefore essential to transform formal gender equality into effective protection across territories.