The phenomenon has been yet again highlighted by the murder of 22-year-old Padua University biomedical engineering student Giulia Cecchettin, days before she was due to graduate.

“Gender violence is structural, repression is not enough,” Schlein told the PD directorate, adding that “we need prevention, we need to make education to respect [women and girls] obligatory.

“Without cultural work we won’t stop the carnage, we need education and culture, and we must act in schools.

“At least on fighting the massacre let’s leave aside the harsh political clash, let’s try to get the country to take a step forward.

“Let’s approve a law that makes education on relationships compulsory.”

ANSA