That's amore?: Intimate partner femicide in Italy and the failures of the Italian legislature to prevent violence against women

Abstract

Intimate partner femicide has caused growing concern in Italy, as instances continue to occur frequently. The Italian legislature has a long history of legislation that failed to protect women from violence, especially within their family units. Despite significant improvements to legislation over the last few decades, the problem of intimate partner femicide persists. This Note focuses on the failures of the penal code and accompanying statutes in preventing intimate partner femicide. The proposal is for legislation that will impose higher sentences for intimate partner homicide, remove judicial discretion in sentencing procedures, and require anti-violence and gender equality education in schools.