ROME (Reuters) – Italian lawmakers have approved a series of measures to address violence against women following the murder of a university student and the subsequent arrest of her ex-boyfriend, sparking a nationwide debate on the issue. The bill proposed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government was unanimously passed by the upper house Senate by 157-to-0, demonstrating rare unity between the ruling parties and the opposition. The lower house Chamber had already given it initial unanimous approval late last month.
The new law aims to provide additional protections for women at risk in order to prevent more severe violence and to combat a wave of femicides that have incited public outrage across Italy. According to Family Minister Eugenia Roccella, “This law introduces measures that in many cases can make the difference between life and death.”
The recent murder of 22-year-old student Giulia Cecchettin near Venice has deeply shocked the country due to the victim’s young age and her imminent graduation this month. Her former partner, Filippo Turetta, has been arrested as a suspect and is currently being held in Germany, where he was found by police on Saturday in a broken down car. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on Wednesday that his extradition has already been approved.
In addition to the legal measures, the government has committed to campaigning in schools to promote respect for women and raise awareness of violence among students. School Minister Giuseppe Valditara stated at a news conference at the Senate, “It is absolutely unacceptable that women have to endure harassment, humiliation and violence every day.”
As of November 19, interior ministry figures show that 106 women have been killed this year in Italy, 55 of them by their current or former partners, double the number from the same period last year. These alarming statistics have contributed to the urgency of addressing violence against women through both legal and educational means. (Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Richard Chang)
