Italy introduces life prison sentences for femicide

  PADUA- On the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Italian Parliament approved landmark legislation redefining femicide as a crime punishable by life imprisonment. Italy thus joins Cyprus, Malta and Croatia among the first EU states to adopt a comprehensive legal definition of femicide, recording every murder of a woman proven to be motivated by her gender as femicide. The legislation will apply to cases in which there is evidence of an “act of hatred, discrimination, domination, control, or subjugation of a woman as a woman.”

 The culmination of decades of campaigning from feminist groups and bereaved families, this vote marked a rare, poignant moment of collective action in the Lower Chamber, as deputies across the political spectrum gathered to pass the new legislation with unanimous approval of 237 votes. The law passed amid thunderous applause, with representatives wearing red ribbons in recognition of victims of femicide, including the 106 women killed in 2024.

 The concept of introducing new legislation to combat violence against women had been discussed for several years, but a series of high-profile murders eventually sparked a movement for institutional reform amid international coverage and public outcry. Campaigners, such as the feminist group Non Una Di Meno, have continued to speak out alongside bereaved families, highlighting a systemic culture of casual misogyny, coercive control and subsequent violence. The recent murder of University of Padua student Giulia Cecchettin further galvanised feminist groups and lawmakers, as her sister characterised the killer not as a monster, but as the ‘healthy son of a patriarchal society.

 Judge Paola di Nicola was instrumental in drafting this legislation, examining data from 211 recent murders of women. In her view, it is vital that femicides are classified and studied in their “real context”.

 "Talking of such crimes as rooted in exasperated love or strong jealousy is a distortion – that uses romantic, culturally acceptable terms”, she argues. At present, there is no international standard definition of feminicide, which makes it almost impossible to prosecute and to compare statistics.

 This legislation represents a significant bipartisan success for right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who continues to reiterate her commitment to stronger measures against gender-based crimes including stalking and revenge porn.

 "We have doubled funding for anti-violence centers and shelters, promoted an emergency hotline and implemented innovative education and awareness-raising activities,", she says. "These are concrete steps forward, but we won't stop here. We must continue to do much more, every day."

 Despite bipartisan support for the introduction of this legislation, there are some opposition members who argue that without broader measures against gender inequality, the government remains limited in its approach to addressing the economic and cultural nuances which underpin violence against women. Furthermore, as most victims of femicide are killed by their current or former partners, critics argue that the definition of femicide may prove difficult to prosecute and does not go far enough in its prevention of domestic and gender-based violence.

 Elly Schlein, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said "Repression is not enough without prevention, which can only start in schools.”

  jp-dp