ROME - The number of Italian women murdered so far in 2017 totals 114, according to a report released Thursday by Italian research group Eures. The report lays out gloomy facts on the rise of violence in Italy. According to the study, the number of victims who identify as female has increased to 37 percent from 26 percent in 2000. However, more positively, the numbers so far this year have not surpassed those of 2013, which saw the deaths of 179 women. On top of this, the region of Calabria has seen a large decrease in the number of victims over the past year.

 Noticing the rise in fatalities, Italy passed an anti-femicide law several years ago in an attempt to address the problem across the nation. Sadly it does not seem to have affected the numbers thus far.

 From 2015 to 2016 the number of women killed by voluntary homicide has increased by 5.6 percent, from 142 to 150. The regions of danger have altered slightly; while the northern cities have witnessed more assaults this year, the southern cities have become marginally safer.

 Lombardy has been named as the most violent, with 25 female victims, followed by Veneto. The latter region saw the deaths of 17 women so far this year, a large increase on the 7 killed in 2016.

 The institute Eures highlights that 76.7 percent of femicides originate from family and domestic incidents, and names possessiveness, jealousy, isolation, and social hardship as the main contributors to violence.

 The report has come out in time for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which will be held on Nov. 25. The supporters for change have planned an impressive schedule for the International Day backed by the UN. This year’s theme is “leave no one behind,” and comes in the wake of numerous high-profile women and men speaking out about sexual harassment as part of the online #MeToo campaign.

 Rome will be the host to a rally entitled  “Non Una di Meno” (Not One Less) taking place in the Piazza della Repubblica at 2pm on Nov. 25. This event will be used as a platform to stand against violence towards women and to demand greater rights for females. On top of this, the online forum #InQuantoDonna, featuring pictures and biographies of women who have been killed, has become a popular site, revealing that many take the issue of aggression against women seriously.

 Laura Boldrini, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, has tweeted her support for women’s movements in Italy. “Women cannot be put in front of the juncture to leave social networks or accept violence. To that proposal: they say, we are in a state of law and we can defend ourselves through the laws.” She also asked for “nonviolent men” to “come out from silence.The battle against femicide is only won if we are together.”

 The International Day planned for November shall see many coming together in support of Boldrini’s words and in retaliation to the statistics published in the Eures report.