Italy Criminalizes Femicide, Imposes Life Imprisonment Sentence for Offenders

Italy has formally recognized femicide as a distinct criminal offense, introducing life imprisonment as its penalty. This legislative milestone took place in the Lower Chamber with a strong bipartisan vote of 237 in favor.

The approval coincided with the UN-designated international day for the elimination of violence against women. The new law emerged amid public outcry over high-profile cases, such as the murder of university student Giulia Cecchettin, highlighting the ongoing violence against women in Italy’s patriarchal society.

Scope of the New Legislation

The law, supported by Premier Giorgia Meloni’s conservative government, broadens legal protections against gender-based violence. It includes tougher measures on crimes like stalking and revenge porn, aiming to address various facets of violence targeting women.

Moreover, the government has doubled funding for anti-violence centers and shelters. Meloni emphasized the importance of continued efforts, stating, “These are concrete steps forward, but we won’t stop here. We must continue to do much more, every day.”

Public and Political Reactions

While center-left opposition backed the law, they criticized the government for focusing mainly on criminal justice aspects. They argue that more work is needed on economic and cultural divides to address root causes comprehensively.

The Italian statistics agency Istat recorded 106 femicides this year, with 62 perpetrated by current or former partners. This data underscores the urgent necessity of such reforms.

Controversies in Prevention Strategies

A heated debate surrounds the introduction of sexual and emotional education in schools as a preventive measure. The current government’s proposal would ban such education for elementary students and require parental consent for high school lessons.

Supporters claim this protects children from ideological activism. Meanwhile, opposition parties and activists condemn the move as regressive, calling attention to Italy being one of seven European countries without compulsory sex and relationship education.

Italy’s Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein stated, “Repression is not enough without prevention, which can only start in schools.” As the country grapples with how best to prevent gender-based violence, this recent law marks a significant legal step forward.