Outrage and anger have spread across Italy after a university student was allegedly killed by her former boyfriend which has brought the spotlight on violence against women in a country where one woman on average gets killed every three days.
The dead body of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin, who was an engineering student, was found in a ditch near a lake north of Venice days before her slated graduation ceremony. The body was stabbed multiple times and
She had been wrapped in plastic and reportedly stabbed multiple times. The body was discovered after a week-long search was conducted, which kept the country gripped. Before her disappearance, her former partner, Filippo Turetta was captured hitting her in roadside cameras, as per report.
A court in eastern Germany on Wednesday (Nov 22) said that it had approved 21-year-old Turetta’s extradition to Italy. He was arrested in Germany after his car broke down.
Turetta shifted to prison in Verona
On Saturday morning (Nov 25), Turetta landed at Venice airport and was to be transferred to a prison located in the northern city of Verona where he was to be interrogated as part of the investigation, as per the Italian media.
As per the report, Cecchettin’s friends claimed that her decision to end the relationship was not accepted by her family of Turetta. These claims rattled many people across the country.
On Saturday, which was also the International Day For the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the protesters are likely to hit the streets in high numbers across Italy to mark Cecchettin’s killing. This will add to the number of vigils and rallies held to honour her memory in recent days.
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“This is a script that we know very well,” said Cristina Gamberi, who is a research fellow at the University of Bologna, while emphasising 106 women killed so far this year in Italy. “But with Giulia something is different. And in my reading, what is different is her sister, Elena,” said Gamberi.
Responding to Turetta’s sympathetic media portrayals, Cecchettin’s older sister Elena accused him of having controlling and possessive behaviour towards her sister.
“She’s fighting back with a very strong determination and anger. And I do think she’s giving voice to a new collective awareness that is really widespread among the younger generation,” said Gamberi.
(With inputs from agencies)
