Europe Asia News

In a symbolic gesture, the bill was approved on the day dedicated to the elimination of violence against women worldwide.

The idea of a femicide law had previously been discussed in Italy, but the killing of Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend was the tragedy that pushed the nation to act.

The 22-year-old woman was stabbed to death in late November 2023 by Filippo Turetta, who then wrapped her body in bags and dumped it by a lakeside.

The murder remained in the headlines until the killer was caught, but the powerful response of Giulia’s sister Elena made the case resonate nationwide.

She said that the killer was not a monster, but rather “the healthy son of an extremely patriarchal society.” Her words sparked demonstrations across Italy demanding change.

Two years later, after a long and heated debate in parliament, lawmakers approved the femicide bill. The new law makes Italy one of the few countries that classify femicide as a separate crime.

The law, introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, gained support from both her far-right government and opposition lawmakers. Many wore red ribbons or red jackets today to honour victims of violence.

From now on, Italy will record any killing of a woman committed because of her gender as “femicide.”