Italy has taken a historic step in the fight against gender-based violence. On November 25, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Italian parliament unanimously approved a law formally recognizing femicide as a separate crime. Femicide is defined as the intentional killing of a woman motivated by gender, carrying a sentence of life imprisonment.

The law follows a series of high-profile cases, including the 2023 murder of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin. She was fatally stabbed by her former partner, Filippo Turetta, who then attempted to conceal the crime. The tragedy shocked Italy and fueled nationwide debate, with Giulia’s sister Elena playing a key role in driving public attention and advocacy.

Judge Paola di Nicola, one of the law’s drafters, emphasized its significance: “Femicide will now be recorded, studied, and understood in its real context. This law ensures that such crimes are recognized for what they truly are—rooted in power and control, not in romantic obsession or jealousy.”

Italy now joins Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia as the only EU countries to include a legal definition of femicide in their penal codes. According to the latest police data, 116 women were murdered in Italy last year, with 106 cases identified as gender-based killings.