Murders of women in Italy increased by nearly 16 percent over the past year, interior ministry data showed Monday, with nearly two-thirds of crimes committed by a partner or ex-partner.
In the period from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022, 125 women in Italy were killed versus 108 in the year-earlier period, according to the annual report by the interior ministry.
Of that number, the vast majority of murders โ 108 โ were committed within the family sphere or an emotional context, while 68 murders, or 63 percent of the total, were committed by the victimโs partner or ex-partner, data showed.
There were a total of 319 murders in Italy in the period.
The numbers show that, on average, a woman is killed every three days in Italy.
According to a November report by the European Institute for Gender Equality, Italy came in ninth out of 15 EU member states for the number of murders of women by intimate partners, based on 2018 data.
It came in tenth when looking at homicide committed by family members and relatives.
Femicide commonly refers to the killing of a girl or woman by a partner or family member.