TURIN - The Journal of Interpersonal Violence has published the first Italian study on violence against women, examining 330 cases of femicide in Turin and the metropolitan area. 

  The study, ‘Violence against prostitutes and non-prostitutes: an analysis of frequency, variety and severity’ looks at 330 cases of femicide (the crime of killing a woman) in Turin and the metropolitan city committed by 303 male offenders between 1970 and 2020. The study was conducted by a research group led by Professor Georgia Zara, lecturer in the Psychology department at the University of Turin and is one of the few studies in the world on the subject.

  The data was collected on 330 victims of femicide in Turin, including prostitutes and non-prostitutes and was anonymised and numerically coded for analysis. 83 percent of victims were Italian, and the overall average age of victims was 44.31 years. The 303 perpetrators of femicide had an average age of 42.88 years, and 15 of them killed multiple victims in separate incidents. 26.4 percent had an existing criminal record.

  The research found trends in the types of relationships in which most femicides took place. It revealed that victims are more likely to be killed by a man they know rather than a stranger, as 90.8 percent of victims were killed by someone they knew, whilst only 9.2 percent of cases took place in an anonymous context.  In fact, in 53 percent of cases the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator was intimate, whilst in 36,9 percent of cases the perpetrator was an acquaintance. 

  The study also looked at the severity of femicides by measuring the frequency of ‘overkill’, i.e. the excessive use of violence which goes beyond what is necessary to kill someone. The frequency of overkill was affected by the type of relationship; it was four times as common in intimate relationships (41 percent of cases) than between strangers (16.7 percent). This was also the case amongst prostitute victims, where overkill was 49.5 percent higher amongst those who knew each other than those who did not. The quality of the relationship was also important, as overkill occurred more frequently in dysfunctional and emotionally strained relationships (49.5 percent of cases).

  The study also suggested that in general, prostitutes are most at risk of violence; the risk of overkill was five times higher for prostitutes than for unknown victims. Prostitutes were also more likely to be victims of sexual homicide, post-mortem mutilation and of being killed by men with a persistent criminal career. 

  Femicide is an important issue that needs to be tackled and by looking at this data we can take steps towards prevention. The insights of this study about the nature of relationships in which femicide is most likely to take place is crucial in understanding how and where to implement preventative measures to tackle the problem at an early stage.  

jb