The final appointment: risk factors and prevention of femicide

Riv Psichiatr. 2026 May-Jun;61(3):93-95. doi: 10.1708/4714.47291.

ABSTRACT

This editorial summarizes the 2025 Sapienza University conference on femicide, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach. Femicide is defined as a structural “crime of power” rooted in gender inequality and the drive for domination, rather than isolated pathology. Risk factors include possessiveness, jealousy, and male identity crises triggered by female autonomy. Research identifies it as the terminal stage of relational violence, often involving “overkilling”. Prevention requires early recognition of warning signs and “upstream” educational interventions to address aggression in schools. The authors call for a cultural transformation and institutional accountability to dismantle stereotypes that normalize violence. Ultimately, femicide is framed as a social problem needing coordinated clinical, legal, and cultural action across society.

PMID:42273898 | DOI:10.1708/4714.47291