[REVISION HISTORY]

Femicide and domestic violence in Italy

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What changed

2026-08-20 08:32 UTC → 2026-08-21 04:04 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Italian courts have recently addressed several cases of premeditated murders involving women and their former partners. In Varese, a man was investigated for killing a woman’s new partner in a deliberate car collision motivated by jealousy. Additionally, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a man for the premeditated murder of his former partner following a series of threats. These incidents have contributed to a surge in femicides across Italy, with six women killed by current or former partners in mid-August. Reported cases include a 72-year-old woman killed by her husband in Calabria, a 50-year-old Polish woman stabbed to death by her husband in Colleferro, and a 39-year-old woman killed near Venice by an ex-partner despite her having filed multiple police reports regarding his violent behavior since 2002. In response to the violence, femicide has been classified as a national emergency and integrated into the Italian criminal code. While prevention programs targeting youth have been initiated, some educational campaigns have encountered obstacles due to new government requirements for parental consent. In light of the ongoing crisis, officials are calling for systemic reforms. Regional Councilor Serena Pellegrino has urged for increased funding for anti-violence centers, family clinics, and school-based prevention programs to address the cultural roots of violence. Former prosecutor Francesco Menditto suggested that rather than creating new crimes, the focus should be on better training for police, social services, and the judiciary to effectively identify and act upon risk factors. Reflecting the intensity of the crisis, the term ‘femminicidio’ became the most searched word on the Treccani digital platform in 2026. Regional leaders in Calabria and Friuli Venezia Giulia have joined calls for increased funding and mandatory training for healthcare workers and law enforcement.

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