Breaking the Silence on Femicides: A Call for Legal Action
- Denounce murdering women as personal offense you've committed!
By Viv M.- Approx Read Time: 3 minutes
The Gera incident has left an indelible mark on a woman, with burns marring her neck and upper body, courtesy of her husband's hate-fueled attack. Many others aren't so fortunate; every other day or so, a woman in Germany falls victim to femicide - a heinous act driven by jealousy, hatred, and sexual violence, often perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner. Shockingly, these atrocities aren't always classified as femicides. The Gera case, like others, is often sugarcoated, euphemistically dubbed as an "arson attack". This needs to change - it's high time we acknowledge and address Germany's growing problem with gender-based violence.
Inspired by Italy's example, we urge lawmakers to recognize femicides as a distinct, sinister crime. A bill that aims to do just that was proposed in Italy on International Women's Day in 2024, and it's expected to pass through parliament soon. Why the delay in Germany? While the outgoing administration did pass the Victims of Violence Act shortly before elections, providing much-needed funding for women's shelters and counseling services, the real protections won't take effect until 2032. That's far too late. The Italian bill, in contrast, swiftly addresses these urgent needs.
Curbing Impunity and Stemming the Tide
The Gera incident offered a grim snapshot of the brutal reality of these crimes. While it's rare for such attacks to play out in public, the difference lies in visibility, not frequency. In the wake of the attack, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called for stronger protections and more robust prosecution of perpetrators, along with electronic ankle bracelets to track stalkers. Yet tougher penalties won't be effective unless these atrocities are recognized as femicides under the law.
Consider the example from Italy: an entrepreneur who murdered his pregnant mistress in 2024, receiving a lenient 19-year sentence for acting in a "fit of rage". Only harsher penalties can dissuade future perpetrators. The new law in Italy proposes life imprisonment for those who commit femicide, demonstrating a clear intent to protect women and punish perpetrators.
Casting a Light on the Shadows: Femicide in the Law
The recent bill in Italy is a clear step towards identifying and combating femicide. Meanwhile, Germany continues to grapple with the issue under existing homicide laws. The hesitance to acknowledge femicides as a separate crime category is concerning. Consider the complications caused by Article § 213, the so-called "honor killing" clause, which only disappeared from the German Criminal Code in 1981 and still permits lighter sentences for violence motivated by "honor". A new law with specific provisions for femicide, such as Italy's, could address these shortcomings.
Let's learn from Italy's example and take action. It's essential to recognize femicide as a unique, chilling crime if we want to prevent it and bring perpetrators to justice.
- Femicide
- Gera
- Italy
- Violence against women
Insights:
As of March 2025, the Italian government has enacted a law that criminalizes femicide and mandates life imprisonment for perpetrators. The law also strengthens punishments for related crimes such as stalking, sexual violence, and revenge porn. Italy's new law differs from Germany's current approach, where femicides are prosecuted under existing homicide laws but not recognized as a distinct crime category. The new Italian law aims to increase penalties and develop methods to prevent femicides, setting a strong example for other countries to follow in their fight against gender-based violence.
- The community and employment policies should include provisions to address the issue of femicide, ensuring harsher penalties for perpetrators and providing necessary resources for victims.
- A closer examination of the Lawbook reveals a shocking possessiveness towards women, with some laws, such as Germany's Article § 213, allowing for lighter sentences for violence motivated by 'honor'.
- In a lucky turn of events, the new Italian law criminalizes femicide and mandates life imprisonment for perpetrators, setting a strong example for Germany to follow in its fight against gender-based violence.
