Pope Francis has spoken out against violence towards women, especially in light of the recent brutal killing of 22-year-old university student Giulia Cecchettin in Italy. The Pope's comments come as Italy is grappling with a national debate on how to address the culture of male chauvinism that often leads to femicide. The killing of Cecchettin sparked protests across the country and prompted lawmakers to unanimously back measures to clamp down on violence against women. According to Italy's interior ministry, over 100 women were killed in 2023, with almost half of them by their partner or former partner, bringing the issue of femicide to the forefront of public discourse.

The Pope emphasized the need for every society to respect, defend, and esteem women, stating that anyone who harms a single woman profanes God, who was born of a woman. He also highlighted the crucial role women play as models for peace, calling for society to look to mothers and women to find peace and emerge from the spiral of violence and hatred.

Italy is now considering teaching respect for girls from a young age and using educational tools such as the film "C'e Ancora Domani (There's Still Tomorrow)," which tells the story of a woman being beaten by her husband, to address the issue in schools throughout the country. Pope Francis made his remarks during a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, emphasizing the need to respect and protect women while calling for an end to violence against them.