Student's murder highlights violence against women in Italy

FILE PHOTO: The Campidoglio, Rome's city hall, is lit up in red to honour women who have been killed by men to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Rome, Italy, November 25, 2021. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - The killing of a university student and the arrest of her ex-boyfriend have highlighted the issue of violence against women in Italy, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowing to step up protections and raise public awareness.

The body of Giulia Cecchettin, a 22-year-old from a small town near Venice, was found on Saturday dumped near a lake, with multiple stab wounds. She had been missing for a week after going out with her former partner Filippo Turetta.