Italy Now Punishes Femicide With Life in Prison

Italy’s parliament has approved a law that introduces femicide into the country’s criminal code and punishes it with life imprisonment, Giada Zampano reported for the Associated Press (AP).

High-profile cases, such as the 2023 murder of university student Giulia Cecchettin, have fueled widespread public outcry and debate about violence against women in Italy’s patriarchal culture.

The vote coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a day designated by the U.N. General Assembly. The law won bipartisan support from the center-right majority and the center-left opposition in the final vote in the lower chamber, passing with 237 votes in favor.

Backed by the conservative government of Premier Giorgia Meloni, the law comes in response to a series of killings and other violence targeting women in Italy.

It includes stronger measures against gender-based crimes, including stalking and revenge porn. High-profile cases, such as the 2023 murder of university student Giulia Cecchettin, have fueled widespread public outcry and debate about violence against women in Italy’s patriarchal culture.