The Italian National Police has signed a formal partnership with the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, a move that places preventive education and institutional intervention at the center of Italy's evolving strategy to combat gender-based violence. With femicide rates falling 18% in 2025 but youth violence surging, the foundation's work—anchored by a high-profile film and nationwide awareness campaigns—represents a shift from reactive enforcement to systemic cultural change.
Why This Matters
• New legal tools: Italy's criminal code now includes a standalone femicide statute (Art. 577 bis), criminalizing the murder of women in contexts of gender-based violence.
• Youth vulnerability rising: Among women aged 16–24, sexual violence incidents jumped from 17.7% in 2014 to 30.8% in 2025, according to ISTAT.
• Film release November 5: Se domani non torno ("If I Don't Come Home Tomorrow") hits Italian cinemas nationwide, produced by Notorious Pictures with Sky Cinema and Mediaset, aiming to reshape how families and institutions talk about control, respect, and red flags.
From Private Grief to Civic Mission (2023–2025)
In November 2023, 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Filippo Turetta. Her father, Gino Cecchettin, transformed that tragedy into a public mission.
On July 18, 2025, Gino addressed youth at the Giffoni Film Festival, unveiling select scenes from the forthcoming feature. His message was direct: "Giulia's story isn't the last half-hour. It's 22 years of a free woman who made choices, who self-determined her path, and who paid for her freedom with her life."
The film, directed by Paola Randi and adapted from the book Cara Giulia (co-written by Gino Cecchettin and journalist Marco Franzoso), deliberately avoids forensic reconstruction. No actor portrays Turetta. Instead, the narrative focuses on absence—the void left in a family and the civic transformation that followed. Filippo Timi plays Gino; Sabrina Martina embodies Giulia; Tecla Bossi and Tommaso Allione appear as siblings Elena and Davide. Filming took place entirely in Veneto, including emotionally resonant sites in Padova.
Randi explained the creative constraint: "You can't tell the story of someone who isn't here. What you can do is tell the story of their absence. We focused on what happens to those left behind—and what it takes to turn private suffering into a gesture of extraordinary civic generosity."
Impact on Prevention Policy and Education (2024–2026)
The Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, established in November 2024, launched major initiatives throughout 2026 that directly affect how violence is identified and addressed across Italy:
Collaboration with the Polizia di Stato: A formal protocol with the Department of Public Security mandated joint training on gender-based violence recognition. The program, titled "Riconoscere, Intervenire, Sostenere" ("Recognize, Intervene, Support"), partners with Differenza Donna to retrain front-line officers in handling domestic violence calls.
School and university outreach: The foundation developed curriculum materials for teachers. Roma Tre University hosted seminars on "Sentimental Education," attended by educators and policy officials. Gino Cecchettin emphasized the need to teach young people how to exit toxic relationships before violence escalates.
Corporate engagement: Strategic partnerships with Fondazione Sodalitas and Coop commit Italian businesses to workplace anti-violence protocols and employee training. Pilot workshops targeting retail employees and customers rolled out in Padova and other locations.
24-hour crisis center: The foundation co-manages the Centro Antiviolenza Appia Annia Regilla in Rome, offering legal guidance, psychological support, and employment reintegration for women escaping violent partners. Crisis services are available to all women regardless of immigration status; interpretation services are available in multiple languages. For emergency support, residents can contact the foundation's crisis hotline or visit the center directly.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Italy recorded 97 femicides in 2025, down from 118 in 2024—part of a broader decline in all homicides, which hit a 10-year low at 286 cases. Of the 97 women killed, 85 died at the hands of a family member or intimate partner, and 62 specifically by a current or former romantic partner.
However, longer-term data reveals persistent challenges: 6.4 million Italian women aged 16–75 (31.9% of the female population) have suffered physical or sexual violence at least once, per the 2025 ISTAT survey. Among the youngest cohort, 37.6% of women aged 16–24 reported experiencing violence—a sharp rise from 28.4% in 2014. Partners and ex-partners account for more than 63% of rapes.
First-quarter 2026 data registered 3 cases prosecuted under the new femicide statute, with 15 women killed overall between January and March—compared to 19 in the same period of 2025. Notably, 26% of perpetrators in early 2026 were between 18 and 24 years old.
Foreign-national women face higher rates of severe violence, including rape, than Italian citizens, ISTAT found. Despite rising awareness, only 10.5% of victims file formal complaints, a figure that has remained static. Language barriers and concerns about residency status remain obstacles; however, crisis services and legal assistance are available to all women regardless of immigration background.
The Cultural Shift Behind the Camera
Actress Sabrina Martina, who portrays Giulia, recalled attending a 2023 anti-violence march in Rome: "That year felt different. There was a collective force, a genuine turning point compared to previous years."
Director Randi and screenwriter Lisa Nur Sultan intentionally structured the film around memory and perspective rather than chronology. "We wanted to show Giulia as she lived through the eyes of those who loved her—not reduce her to the final moments," Randi said.
The Giffoni audience gave the Cecchettin family a standing ovation. Gino's closing words resonated: "If even one of you walks out of this theater and looks at a relationship differently, recognizes a warning sign, or finds the courage to choose respect over possession, then Giulia walks with you."
A Broader European Conversation
Giulia Cecchettin's case sparked debate far beyond Italy's borders. Major outlets in Germany and the United Kingdom covered the story, and her name became shorthand for a wave of feminist mobilization that swept Italian universities and piazzas in late 2023. The foundation's awareness campaigns now circulate in multiple languages, and the film's November release will include subtitled screenings abroad.
On March 2, 2026, the foundation unveiled a national video spot emphasizing that "violence doesn't erupt suddenly—it begins with words, glances, behaviors often dismissed as trivial." The campaign calls on men to assume responsibility and intervene when they witness controlling or abusive conduct.
What This Means for Residents
For Italians navigating relationships, workplaces, or schools, the foundation's initiatives translate into concrete resources:
• Workplace protocols: If your employer is part of the Coop or Sodalitas networks, expect mandatory training sessions on recognizing coercive control and supporting colleagues in distress.
• Educational tools: Teachers in secondary schools can now access foundation-curated lesson plans on consent, emotional autonomy, and conflict resolution.
• Emergency support: Crisis centers operate around the clock with legal, psychological, and job-placement services. Services are available to all women, including foreign nationals and migrants, with interpretation support available. Regional centers are planned beyond Rome to serve communities nationwide.
• Legal recourse: The new femicide statute allows prosecutors to pursue stiffer charges when gender-based motives are evident, potentially lengthening sentences and improving deterrence.
The film's November 5 nationwide release—backed by Sky and Mediaset distribution—ensures primetime television and streaming access, broadening reach beyond cinema-goers.
Challenges and the Path Forward
Critics note that while institutional partnerships signal progress, enforcement gaps persist. Police training must be sustained, not episodic, and resource allocation for shelters remains uneven across regions. The static 10.5% reporting rate underscores entrenched fear of retaliation, economic dependence, and bureaucratic obstacles.
The foundation's strategy hinges on cultural prevention—reshaping norms before violence occurs—rather than solely punishing perpetrators after the fact. Whether this upstream approach can bend the curve on youth violence, where rates are climbing fastest, remains the test.
Gino Cecchettin framed the stakes plainly: "If our story stays within our walls, it's just one family's pain. Told to you, to Italy, to Europe, it might arrive in time to save a life."
