President Mattarella: violence against women is "a primary emergency" for Italy
Italy's President Sergio Mattarella has declared violence against women a top-priority emergency for the country, saying schools must play a central role in prevention. His remarks came during a visit to Grosseto, in southern Tuscany, where he toured the anti-violence unit at Ospedale Misericordia.
A weekend in Tuscany hits close to home
The President's words carried particular weight in a region still reeling from a recent killing. The femicide of Lorena Isceri, just weeks ago at Barberino del Mugello, remains vivid. The young woman was thrown from an overpass after being bound and locked in a car boot by her former partner, who then killed himself.
Tuscany's president, Eugenio Giani, said the region had felt "endless pain" over the case. Lorena's father had appealed to "all politicians" for action — specifically for schools and anti-violence centres — "so that it does not happen again."
The numbers behind the alarm
Mattarella cited official data showing that while there has been progress, the threat remains urgent. 97 women were killed last year, and 34 died in the first half of this year, according to Interior Ministry figures.
The picture is not simple. The 34 female homicide victims recorded from January to June 2026 represent a 37% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. However, that drop coincides with the introduction of a new, specific crime of femicide in Italian law. Article 577 bis of the penal code took effect in January 2026. In the first six months, prosecutors classified 8 killings as femicides under the new statute, while the remaining 26 were prosecuted as voluntary homicides.
Inside the "Pink Room"
At Grosseto's hospital, the President visited the Stanza Rosa, a pilot project launched in 2010. The model, now part of the Codice Rosa protocol, offers victims more than just medical treatment.
Women and minors who arrive at the emergency room are taken to a protected, private space where a multidisciplinary team connects them with police, judges, anti-violence centres and social services. The goal is to ensure protection extends beyond discharge.
Vittoria Doretti, the regional coordinator for the Codice Rosa network in Tuscany, told Mattarella that the project had exposed a previously hidden phenomenon. "With the first case, in 2010, a world opened up. Reports increased enormously," she said. But she added: "It is difficult, President, extremely difficult. The greatest ally of violence is the victim's solitude — you can see it in their eyes. If a woman dies, the State has been defeated."
Mattarella thanked the staff for what he imagined had been their "commitment, effort, dedication and sacrifice" in the early years, and for showing that fighting violence against women requires a collective effort.
Education and political division
The President's call for "education in schools, universities and professional training" touches a raw nerve in Italian politics. A new law, the Valditara Act (Law 104/2026), has reshaped how schools can address sex and relationships.
The law mandates that schools must obtain informed written consent from parents before pupils can attend activities addressing sexuality, emotional relationships or gender identity. At primary and infant school level, such activities are banned entirely. Critics argue this creates obstacles for educators; supporters say it protects families' rights to decide what their children learn on these topics.
The debate has reached the ballot box. A referendum campaign titled "Sì educazione affettiva nelle scuole" has gathered 500,000 signatures seeking to repeal the law. An SWG-KPMG poll found 57% of Italians support the consent requirement, while surveys by Durex and Skuola.net show nearly 9 in 10 young people want sex education in school.
A disputed legal definition
Mattarella's insistence on naming the problem comes as some political figures challenge the very concept. Roberto Vannacci, leader of Futuro Nazionale, has argued that "femicide does not exist — it is a homicide like all the others."
Opposition politicians, including PD secretary Elly Schlein and MP Michela Di Biase, have responded that denying the specificity of femicidio insults victims and their families. They argue the term identifies the motive — often rooted in an inability to accept rejection — making it visible so it can be prevented.
The government majority, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, approved the law creating the autonomous crime, and there is broad parliamentary agreement on treating violence against women as an emergency regardless of party lines.
What is changing and what stays the same
Institutional responses are expanding. The State-Regions Conference has allocated €93 million in 2026 to strengthen anti-violence centres, refuges, job programmes and housing support for women seeking independence. The Bollino Rosa network now certifies 370 hospitals committed to gender-sensitive healthcare, including violence support.
Yet the scale of the problem remains stark. ISTAT data from March 2026 shows 31.5% of women aged 16-70 have suffered physical or sexual violence. In nearly half of cases, the perpetrator is a current or former partner. Only 5% report what happened to authorities.
The President's message was clear: repression alone will not solve this. Prevention requires a cultural shift that must begin in classrooms.
Additional data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior, ISTAT, Fondazione Onda ETS and ANSA contributed to this report.
