A nationwide forensic case-series of femicides in Italy – Part 2: Clues to its epidemiology, prediction and prevention
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: • Femicide is a growing medico-legal and public health concern. • Overkilling and injury to identity/erogenous zones common in femicide. • Dose response link found between lesion count and femicide likelihood. • Results highlight patterns relevant for forensic classification and prevention. • Standardization of medico-legal indicators is needed for comparability. Femicides are grievous, but little is known about risk factors and preventive measures. We present the results of a study conducted across 27 Italian Forensic Institutes. We analyzed 1,238 cases of female homicide and, adopting the definition of femicide as the murder due to the failure to recognize women’s right to self-determination, we identified 410 cases as femicides and 395 as non-femicides Current partners were identified as aggressors in a much larger proportion of femicide cases (241 femicides vs. 145 non-femicides; odds ratio (OR) of femicide 2.46, 95 % CI 1.85–3.27), such association being more pronounced for ex-partners (102 vs. 11; OR 11.56, 95 % CI 6.10–21.92). Sharp weapons showed a higher frequency in femicides (168 vs. 140; OR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.95–1.68). Femicides were more often associated with bodies found in vehicles (31 vs. 9; OR 3.50, 95 % CI 1.64–7.45) and outdoor (68 vs. 43; OR 1.62, 95 % CI 1.08–2.45). There was an indication of femicides being more frequently associated with overkilling (87/323 vs. 71/324; OR 1.24, 95 % CI 0.88–1.76) and even more with lesions located in erogenous zones (94/316 vs. 70/325; OR 1.38, 95 % CI: 0.97–1.95). However, the strongest (though statistically imprecise) association emerged for overkilling in erogenous zones (12/398 vs. 6/389; OR 1.95, 95 % CI: 0.72–5.25). The number of lesions showed a nonlinear association with femicide likelihood. These findings offer forensic indicators that could contribute in predicting and potentially prevent femicide occurrence in a Western population such as the Italian one.
Source: Legal Medicine
Authors: Rossana Cecchi, Jessika Camatti, Anna Laura Santunione, Marco Vinceti, Tommaso Filippini, Riccardo Mazzoli, Alice Buzzelli, Alessandra De Martina, Graziamaria Corbi, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Alessandra Sannella, Paolo Fais, Susi Pelotti, Arianna Giorgetti, Elena Lacchè, Andrea Verzeletti, Bianca Beltrame, Riccardo Zoia, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Giulia Vignali, Carlo Moreschi, Lorenzo Desinan, Ugo Da Broi, Georgia Zara, Sarah Gino, Valentina Bugelli, Simone Balduini, Silvia Pascari, Virginia Tordoni, Antonietta Porzio, Federica Cascone, Guido Viel, Giorgia Franchetti, Francesco Introna, Sara Sablone, Mariagrazia Calvano, Francesco Ausania, Luca-Maria Solari, Alessio Asmundo, Elvira Ventura Spagnolo, Gennaro Baldino, Giovanni Cecchetto, Chiara Franzetti, Emanuela Turillazzi, Mario Gabbrielli, Francesco Baldari, Flavio Pertosa, Antonina Argo, Ginevra Malta, Ernesto D’Aloja, Roberto Demontis, Matteo Nioi, Jessica Sanna, Raffaele Giorgetti, Loredana Buscemi, Mariasole Fede, Francesco Ventura, Isabella Caristo, Antonio Oliva, Giulia Mercuri, Giorgia Guarnieri, Cristoforo Pomara, Monica Salerno, Francesco Sessa, Luigi Cipolloni, Vilma Pinchi, Martina Focardi, Luigi Tonino Marsella, Michele Treglia, Isabella Aquila, Matteo Antonio Sacco, Rosamaria Gaudio, Margherita Neri, Raffaella Marino
Institutions: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Parma, University of Naples Federico II, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale, University of Bologna, University of Brescia, University of Milan, University of Udine, University of Turin, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, University of Padua, University of Bari Aldo Moro, University of Verona, University of Messina, University of Pavia, University of Pisa, University of Siena, University of Palermo, University of Cagliari, Marche Polytechnic University, University of Genoa, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, University of Catania, University of Foggia, University of Florence, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Magna Graecia University, University of Ferrara
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,540
OpenAlex ID: W4414371857