'We are becoming more peaceful towards men, but not towards women': This year, a woman has been killed every ten days

Switzerland is grappling with a disturbing trend of femicides, with two women allegedly killed by their former partners in the past week alone. These incidents have ignited outrage and renewed calls for political action to address what activists describe as a form of structural violence against women.

In the canton of Ticino, a 56-year-old woman was found shot dead in her rehabilitation clinic, allegedly by her ex-husband. The suspect, 59, later died in an explosion and fire at his secluded home in the Bleniotal valley after police arrived, an event authorities suspect was a deliberate trap. Several officers were injured during the incident.

Just a day prior, a 40-year-old Ukrainian woman was found dead in the canton of Thurgau. Her ex-partner, 53, is the suspected perpetrator. He was reportedly subject to a restraining order due to previous domestic violence incidents, highlighting a failure in protective measures.

Feminist collectives, such as "Io l’8 ogni giorno" in Ticino, are protesting these killings, emphasizing that they are not isolated "family tragedies" but femicides rooted in gender-based violence. They are demanding political responses to what they term "structural violence against women." According to the "Stop Femizid" research project, 17 women have been killed this year due to their gender in Switzerland, with ex-partners being the most frequent perpetrators.

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It is not about 'family tragedies,' but about femicides – a form of structural violence against women based on their gender. This requires political answers.