“Femicide” is the most consulted word on the Treccani portal since the beginning of 2026 Good sign?

The word 'femicide' is the most consulted word on the Treccani portal since the beginning of 2026, in front of maranza and fake news. Overtourism, influencers, smart working, followers, riders, memes and selfies also appear in the top ten. It might seem like a simple curiosity about the Italian language and the words that have attracted the most attention of users over the year. In reality, that first position tells something important about the way in which our country has changed.

How we were and how are we: why femicide is the most searched word on Treccani in 2026

Until a few decades ago, violence against women was read and told in a very different way. In Italy, the honor crime was abolished only in 1981. Until then, the killing of a wife, daughter, or sister for reasons related to honor could benefit from more favorable criminal treatment. Today, fortunately, that law belongs to history and we have different words and tools to describe gender violence.

A good sign?

The fact that millions of people today know what femicide means, or feel the need to seek and understand it, is therefore also a sign of change. It means that violence that for a long time was considered a private, family matter or even a consequence of honor is finally recognized as a social problem. Assuming that, we come to the flip side of the coin. Just as there are many people willing to learn and question themselves, there are many others who, in the wake of the new radical right, see in this word a real enemy. Thanks to political figures such as General Vannacci, there are in fact large sections of the male population who, for fear of being delegitimized, go so far as to deny the existence of the problem of femicide.

Femicides, in Italy, do not stop

Starting in mid-August, four women were killed within just 48 hours. In the following days, the balance increased further: always by husbands, companions or former companions. These are different stories, but united by a dynamic that continues to repeat itself. The case of Tania Terrin, in particular, highlights how necessary immediate action is also on the police force. The woman had already reported her former partner for mistreatment and assault and a warning had been issued against her by the Quaestor. Despite this, she was killed.

Something has changed

This is precisely where the Treccani ranking ceases to be a curiosity and becomes an opportunity to reflect. Because yes, something has changed. Today we have a specific term, we are publicly discussing gender violence, we are talking about prevention, education, economic autonomy, protection of victims. Femicide is no longer simply told as a crime of passion or as a private tragedy. But the fact that there is more talk about it does not mean that everyone has decided to talk about it.

There is still a long way to go, beyond words

On the contrary, every time a woman is killed, along with the news about her death, a part of the debate also arrives punctually that tries to shift attention: there are more important problems, there is too much talk about femicide, we must also deal with crime, security, the economy, war, health. As if recognizing violence against women meant choosing not to deal with everything else. If femicide has become the most searched word on Treccani, while we continue to count women killed by their partners, their husbands and their exes, it means that we have taken a step forward in the way in which we describe the problem, but not enough in the way in which we prevent it.