Italian woman's death, allegedly at the hands of ex-boyfriend, sparks outcry against femicide

Thousands of women in Italy are taking to the streets in protest, demanding change and action against femicide.

The movement was sparked by the recent killing of Giulia Cecchettin, a 22-year-old college student who was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend last month.

Her name has been called amid rally chants, written on posters and has been echoing among women in the country who say her situation is all too familiar.

"The case of Giulia Cecchettin is one of those moments, I hope, of a turning point, of a cultural turning point of a country that has suddenly opened its eyes," Sara Ferrari, a member of the Italian Parliament's Commission for Femicide and Gender Violence," told ABC News Live.

Cecchettin was set to graduate with a degree in biochemical engineering from the University of Padua when she disappeared in November.

At first, it was thought she may have run away with her former boyfriend, Filippo Turetta, but Cecchettin's body was found in the Alpine foothills a week later.

Investigators said CCTV footage captured Turetta allegedly beating Cecchettin. He was arrested in Germany after a weeklong manhunt and extradited to Italy.

Turetta's attorney confirmed reports to ABC News that his client reportedly confessed to killing Cecchettin while in German custody. Turetta has not yet been formally charged and the investigation is ongoing.

Thousands of people gathered for Cecchettin's funeral and packed the cathedral and nearby streets.

Arianna Gentili, who runs the Italian anti-violence hotline managed by the feminist NGO Differenza Donna, told ABC News that calls to her service have doubled since the incident.

"We tell ourselves that the new generations had reached a higher level of respect and equality than the older generations. Instead, this made us see how much there is still this kind of dis-power in the new generations and how patriarchal culture is still entrenched," she said.

A woman is killed every three days in Italy, according to data from the Italian interior ministry. The ministry's website states 110 women have been murdered this year alone, with more than half of them allegedly by a partner or former partner.

Gentili said that Cecchettin's case has highlighted the fact that these murders often don't fit the stereotypes that people have about domestic violence victims and perpetrators.

"[Cecchettin] didn't come from a family with particular hardships, just as Turetta didn't have a criminal record. He is not described as a boy who behaved alarmingly," she said.

But experts say many developed countries, including Italy, do not recognize femicide as a crime. The United Nations defines femicide as "gender-related killing of women and girls."

After Cecchettin’s killing, the Italian Parliament approved new legislation that would strengthen measures against gender violence.

Among the legislation's provisions are emphasis on prevention and warnings, new restraining orders and police surveillance on men who are guilty of domestic violence.

Experts said this was a good start, but more is needed to be done to address the problem and protect women and more detailed data is needed.

In his eulogy, Cecchettin's father called on men in society to step up.

"Let’s speak to other men we know, challenging a culture that tends to minimize violence by apparently normal men. We should be actively involved, challenging the diffusion of responsibility, listening to women and not turning the head away from signs of violence, even the slightest," he said.