Historic Legislation: Italy Designates Femicide as a Distinct Crime

Wed Nov 26 2025 22:56:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Italy's parliament has unanimously voted to recognize femicide as a separate criminal offense, marking a significant step in combating gender-based violence. This law categorizes the murder of women motivated by gender and mandates life sentences for offenders.

In a landmark vote, the Italian Parliament has approved legislation that categorizes femicide as a distinct crime, punishable by a life sentence. This decision coincided with the international day for the elimination of violence against women and was largely influenced by public outcry following the brutal murder of Giulia Cecchettin. The new law aims to record and analyze femicides, emphasizing the need for societal change in addressing gender-based violence. Critics, however, warn of challenges in defining and enforcing the law.

Deputies in the Italian parliament have voted unanimously to introduce the crime of femicide – the murder of a woman, motivated by gender – as a distinct law to be punished with a life sentence.

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

The idea of a law on femicide had been discussed in Italy before, but the murder of Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend was a tragedy that shocked the country into action.

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

The killing was headline news until he was caught, but it was the powerful response of Giulia's sister, Elena, that has endured.

The murderer was not a monster, she said, but the healthy son of a deeply patriarchal society. Those words brought crowds out across Italy demanding change.

Now, after a long debate, MPs have voted for a law on femicide, making Italy one of the few countries to categorize it as a distinct crime.

Introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the law was backed by both the governing party and opposition MPs, many of whom wore red ribbons to remember victims of violence.

From now on, Italy will record every murder of a woman motivated by her gender as femicide.

Judge Paola di Nicola, one of the authors of the new law, stated, Femicides will be classified, they will be studied in their real context, they will exist. This reform is seen as a significant step towards understanding the underlying issues of gender-based violence.

Italy joins Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia in recognizing femicide legally, aiming to enhance the visibility of these crimes.

Currently, no agreed worldwide definition of femicide exists, making it difficult to compile and compare statistics. The Italian law will now classify murders as acts of hatred or control against women, particularly if they occur during relationship breakups.

Despite the progress, critics highlight the vagueness of the law, speculating about its implementation challenges.

Overall, the passage of this legislation represents a pivotal moment in Italy's fight against femicide and underscores the urgent need for continued action toward gender equality.