President Sergio Mattarella has expressed deep concern over the persistent issue of gender-based violence, describing it as an alarming and ongoing emergency.
Speaking on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Mattarella stated that current measures to protect women remain inadequate.
“Violence against women presents alarming numbers,” the president said. “It is an unjustified behaviour, steeped in inequality and gender-based stereotypes that tolerate or minimise abuse, often within the family.”
Mattarella highlighted the significance of the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe’s first legally binding treaty recognising gender-based violence as a human rights violation. While acknowledging progress, he emphasised the urgent need for stronger protections.
“What has been done so far is insufficient in safeguarding women, including very young ones, who continue to see their rights violated. It is an emergency that continues,” he added.
Rising Cases of Violence Against Women
Data released by the criminal analysis service of Italy’s central police department paints a grim picture of the current situation. In the first half of 2024:
- Stalking cases increased by 6%, with women accounting for 74% of reported incidents.
- Domestic abuse cases rose by 15%, affecting women in 81% of instances.
- Sexual violence reports climbed by 8%, with women making up 91% of victims. Among these, 28% were under 18 years old, and 77% were Italian citizens.
These figures underscore the urgency of addressing gender-based violence in Italy.
Life Sentence for the Murder of Pregnant Girlfriend
On Monday, a Milan court sentenced Alessandro Impagnatiello, a 31-year-old barman, to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, 29-year-old Giulia Tramontano, in May 2023.
Tramontano, a real estate agent originally from Sant’Antimo near Naples, was seven months pregnant at the time of her death. Impagnatiello had previously attempted to poison her with rat poison and ultimately stabbed her during an argument over his affair with another woman.
The court heard how he attempted to burn her body to conceal the crime, which occurred in their shared home in Senago near Milan. Impagnatiello was found guilty of multiple charges, including aggravated premeditated murder, interrupting a pregnancy, and hiding a body.
