Every three days a man murders a woman in Italy; in 2023 there were 120 reported cases.

Furthermore, the mainstream media narrative in the aftermath of these murders perpetuates the insidious cycle of gender-based violence: carousels of sugar-coated depictions of the perpetrator’s life and his remorse, statements on the unpredictability of the event, and a disturbing quest for justifications, with police officer and judges in Italy who seem to lack awareness of the literature related to freezing. This dangerous approach further contributes to the invisibilization of the victim and her story, oversimplifying the issue into its mere symptoms.

We are thoroughly aware that these tragic acts represent solely the visible tip of a much larger iceberg with deep-seated roots. This tip includes a staggering 31.5 percent of women in Italy aged 16 to 70 who have endured some form of physical or sexual violence throughout their lives. In this context, the Italian government exacerbated the situation by significantly reducing funding for the prevention of violence against women by 70 percent.

Intervening in support of anti-violence centres and social initiatives committed to safeguarding women is undoubtedly required to address the immediate manifestations of a pervasive and destructive system. Notably, some community foundations in Italy are remarkably engaged in providing secure havens for women who have fallen victim to violence by offering starting points to rebuild their lives and facilitating their reintegration into society with enhanced empowerment.