Rights expert blasts Italy’s handling of gender-based violence and discrimination against women

ROME (AP) — A European human rights expert says violence and discrimination against women in Italy is a “prevailing and urgent concern.” The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights faulted Italy across multiple areas: She lamented that Italian courts and police sometimes revictimize victims of gender-based violence. She also said women have diminishing access to abortion services and noted Italy’s last-place EU ranking for gender equality in the workplace. The report comes amid a national outcry over a gruesome murder of a young woman by her ex-boyfriend.