In Italy, protests and demands for a “cultural rebellion” have intensified following the murders of two young women, both students, in a span of 48 hours. This brings the total number of femicides in the country this year to 11.

Sara Campanella, a 22-year-old biomedical student, was fatally stabbed at a bus stop in Messina, Sicily, and died en route to the hospital. Stefano Argentino, a 27-year-old student at the University of Messina, has been arrested and confessed to the murder. It is reported that Argentino had been persistently harassing Campanella since she began her studies two years ago.

Meanwhile, the body of 22-year-old Ilaria Sula, a statistics student at Sapienza University of Rome, was found in a suitcase in a forest area near the Italian capital. She had been missing since March 23 and was reportedly stabbed to death. Her former boyfriend, Mark Samson, 23, is under police questioning for her murder and the concealment of her body.

These tragedies have sparked protests across several Italian cities, including Messina, Rome, and Bologna. The rector of Sapienza University, Antonella Polimeni, expressed her outrage and called for action against femicides. Giovanna Spatari, the rector of the University of Messina, also acknowledged the distress of her students following this latest incident of femicide.

The political discourse in Italy regarding violence against women has been reignited by these killings, in a country where over a hundred femicides were recorded in 2024, with the majority committed by relatives, partners, or former partners. Mara Carfagna, the secretary of the centrist party Noi Moderati, insisted on the need for a “cultural rebellion” to address the issue, noting that despite legal advancements, cultural evolution has not kept pace.

The current government, led by Giorgia Meloni, recently approved a law defining femicide in criminal terms with a penalty of life imprisonment. This followed public outrage over the murder of Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend in November 2023, who was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

Opposition MPs from the Democratic party have suggested that a proactive strategy for prevention, starting with education in schools, is essential to halt the ongoing violence against women.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/03/murders-of-two-female-students-prompt-calls-for-a-cultural-rebellion-in-italy