Women and Justice: Keywords

Legislation

Codice Civil (2019)


Domestic and intimate partner violence, Gender discrimination, Property and inheritance rights

The Italian Civil Code provides for succession and inheritance, each of which require equal treatment of male and female children, including adopted children (Book II, Title I art. 56). In cases in which the conduct of a spouse or co-habitant causes serious physical or mental harm to the other spouse or co-habitant, but the conduct does not constitute a criminal act, the court may issue a family order of protection. A judge may order the party concerned to stay away from the home, the spouse's place of work, the residences of extended family members, and the children's school (Book I, Title IX, art. 342). The judge can also order the intervention of social services or a family mediation center.

Il codice civile italiano disciplina le successioni e l’eredità e dispone il pari trattamento per i figli e le figlie, anche qualora siano adottivi (Libro II, Titolo I, art. 536). Nel caso in cui la condotta di un coniuge o convivente causi seri danni fisici o morali all’altro coniuge o convivente, ma la condotta non sia penalmente rilevante, il giudice può emettere un ordine di protezione familiare. Il giudice può ordinare al coniuge o convivente che ha tenuto la condotta abusiva di non avvicinarsi alla casa, al posto di lavoro del coniuge, al domicilio deii membri della famiglia, e alla scuola dei figli (Libro I, Titolo IX, art. 342 ter). Il giudice può anche disporre l’intervento dei servizi sociali o di un centro di mediazione familiare.



Codice Penal (1930)


Abortion and reproductive health rights, Domestic and intimate partner violence, Female genital mutilation or female genital cutting, Forced and early marriage, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence and rape, Statutory rape or defilement, Trafficking in persons

The Italian Penal Code prohibits domestic violence (art. 572), female genital mutilation (art. 583), personal injury aggravated by permanent deformation or scarring of the face (art. 583 quinquies), harassment (art. 612 bis), the crime of illicit diffusion of sexually explicit images or videos without the consent of the persons represented (so-called revenge porn) (art. 612 ter). Punishable crimes against a person's freedom also include slavery and forced prostitution (art. 600), human trafficking (art. 601), sexual acts coerced through violence, threats, or abuse of authority (art. 609 bis) and group sexual assault (art. 609 octies). Sexual acts with a minor of 14 year old is always a crime (art. 609 quarter). Aggravating factors in sexual violence are: when the perpetrator is a relative, a parent or a guardian, when the sexual act is committed against a pregnant woman, when the victim is under 18 years old, and when the perpetrator uses a weapon (art. 609 ter). Sexual acts with a minor are not punishable when (1) both parties are minors, (2) the minor is at least 13 years old, and (3) the age difference between the two is no more than four years (art. 609 quater). Moreover, the Italian Penal Code prohibits the crime of coercion or induction into marriage (art. 558 bis) and the violation of the order for removal from the family home and of the prohibition to approach the places frequented by the victim (art. 387 bis). Finally, the Italian Penal Code prohibits crimes against pregnancy. In particular, under article 593-ter, anyone who causes the termination of a pregnancy without the woman’s consent shall be punished by imprisonment from four to eight years. Consent that is extorted by violence or threat, or that is obtained by deceit, shall be considered as not having been given. Aggravating factors in crimes against pregnancy include a woman under 18 years of age.