Alba Kepi, president of AMMPE – Italia
The speaker is Nikollaq Hudhra, a 55-year-old Albanian man. His wife, Gentiana Hudhra, ten years his junior, who had tried to free herself from a violent relationship, was stabbed to death by her ex-husband and father of their two children. The murder occurred in the center of Tolentino, in the province of Macerata, central Italy.
The victim was repeatedly stabbed with a kitchen knife in front of passersby, who were unable to intervene. The tragedy unfolded in a few moments. The man awaited the arrival of the police and surrendered without resistance.
The issue of femicide in Italy, particularly among immigrant women, raises crucial questions about the role of the state, the vulnerability of foreign women, and the need for systemic responses. Femicide is never a crime of passion, but a social crime, a result of a culture still steeped in gender inequality. When the victim is a foreign woman, the risks increase, and protection becomes even more difficult.
The State and Femicide: Role and Responsibility
The Italian state has introduced several laws to combat gender violence, including the Law on Femicide (Law 119/2013), which aims to strengthen precautionary measures against those who commit domestic violence and provides protection systems for victims. The Red Code (Law 69/2019) was enacted to accelerate intervention times in cases of reported violence and introduces new offenses such as “revenge pornography” and permanent disfigurement. Finally, the National Strategic Plan against Violence against Women (2021-2023) focuses on prevention, protection, and economic support.
However, problems persist: excessively long waits between reporting and concrete intervention, insufficient anti-violence centers (often poorly distributed or underfunded), lack of adequate training for law enforcement, and difficulties in accessing services for foreign women due to linguistic, cultural, or legal barriers are the most evident issues.
Women Victims of Femicide
General Data:
• 2024: 109 women murdered in Italy, 59 of whom were killed by their partners or ex-partners.
• More than 65% of femicides occur in the domestic sphere.
• Average age of victims: 40-55 years.
• In many cases, the victim had already filed a complaint, but without adequate follow-up.
Typical Victim Profiles:
• Women in the process of separation (one of the most dangerous times).
• Women economically dependent on their partners.
• Women without a supportive family or social network.
• Foreign women in conditions of isolation or marginalization.
