The leader of opposition centre-left
Democratic Party (PD) Elly Schlein said Thursday her party would
be "cooperative" on the bill approved by government on Wednesday
clamping down on gender-based violence, defining the phenomenon
as a "scourge".
"We have already presented a number of legislative proposals" on
gender-based violence and "we will continue to carry them
forward, to be cooperative and to stimulate (discussion): gender
violence is a scourge," Schlein told reporters at the PD
headquarters in Rome.
The new proposals from the government come after a recent string
of headline-grabbing of femicides in Italy and aim to "interrupt
the cycle of violence" and to "act promptly and effectively",
according to Family and Equal Opportunities Minister Eugenia
Roccella.
The package includes new restraining orders and heightened
surveillance on men guilty of domestic violence, among other
things.
It also boosts the emergency gender violence hotline.
According to official figures, femicides are up significantly
this year while the overall homicide rate has dropped.
Late last month a man killed his seven-month pregnant partner
near Milan after she objected to his affair with another woman,
while in Rome a woman police officer was shot dead by a
colleague she had had a relationship with, after which he shot
himself.
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