Femicide Exists and It Is a Crime of Power
May 05th, 2025
The article “Femicide Exists and It Is a Crime of Power”, written by Judge Paola Di Nicola Travaglini and published in Sistema Penale, addresses the sensitive issue of introducing the crime of femicide into the italian criminal code.
The contribution examines both the legal basis for such a provision – found in international legal sources – and the substantive need to classify the crime in order to reveal its true nature: it is not a crime of passion, as it is still often perceived, but a crime of power, rooted in a structurally unequal and discriminatory relationship.
The author explores several related issues, including the differences between femicide and ordinary homicide, and the paradoxical risk that recognizing this specific offense might in turn generate new forms of discrimination. Ultimately, according to Di Nicola Travaglini, defining the phenomenon through a specific legal label and opening up a public debate on the topic – along with moving beyond emotional and supposedly gender-neutral language – are essential steps toward overcoming current legal interpretations and achieving a more accurate and conscious legal classification.
For the full article, click here.