Brussels – So frequent in the news yet insufficiently confronted: femicide in the EU remains an unresolved issue. This is the conclusion of a working paper by the European Parliament, produced by the think tank on behalf of MEPs. The data collected indicates that over a thousand women are killed in the EU every year, “in circumstances that often point to a gender-related motive, and the perpetrators are most commonly intimate partners or family members.” The same data collected in the Member States also shows that murders of women do not show a consistent downward trend, despite a series of measures aimed at combating gender-based violence.
This is the real issue, flagged by Serena Dandini in the European Parliament over a decade ago: the political response to femicide is flawed in the very way lawmakers choose to frame the issue. At the Member State level, several initiatives have been taken to try to address cases of lethal violence against women. The document cites Belgium, Cyprus, Malta, Romania, Spain, and even Italy as examples of countries that have not stood idly by, but the intentions do not seem to meet the needs.
In this regard, the Italian case appears emblematic. “In July 2025, the Italian Senate unanimously approved a bill introducing femicide as a distinct
offence in the Italian Criminal Code, subject to more severe penalties,” the European Parliament’s working document notes. However, it goes on to state: “Experts recommend avoiding an exclusive focus on harsher criminal penalties and instead
implementing a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of femicide, strengthening
prevention efforts, improving victim protection, enhancing data collection and raising public
awareness.“
In essence, Italy serves as an example of what is not needed or of little use. To reduce the number of femicides, measures must be put in place to prevent such crimes and protect women, in the sense of safeguarding, which, however, appear to be lacking. What is needed, in Italy as elsewhere, is a framework for risk assessment and victim protection, which means, first and foremost, “ensuring immediate responses to victims’ complaints by multi-disciplinary teams, including individual risk assessments,” the document notes. Furthermore, training programmes are needed for professionals to identify risks of violence and respond to victims’ support needs, including through binding protection orders. Another recommendation is to establish emergency helplines and shelters for victims of gender-based violence. Governments and parliaments are advised.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
