Pope Francis Condemns Violence Against Women

Pope Francis condemned violence against women on Monday as Italy seeks ways to combat the entrenched culture of male dominance that has often led to the killing of women. During a homily at St. Peter's Cathedral, Francis made several calls to end violence against women in the past. However, his words on Monday were his first public remarks since Italy erupted in anger over the brutal murder of university student Giulia Checchini (22 years old) in November. The murder sparked protests across the country and ignited demands for teaching respect for women to be included in school curricula starting from kindergarten. The pope stated, "Every society must... respect, defend, and value women," emphasizing that "women play a crucial role as models of peace." He added, "The world also needs to consider the role of mothers and women in achieving peace in order to break out of the cycle of violence and hatred and to see things again with true human eyes and hearts."