Authors: Dr. Tiziana Calzone (CIPR, ONOF, AIPC) Dr. Alice Russo (CIPR, ONOF, AIPC) Dr. Massimo Lattanzi (CIPR, ONOF, AIPC)

Abstract This contribution analyzes the data on family crimes collected in the week of October 9-15, 2025, through the lens of relational psychotraumatology. The analysis, based on open sources (news articles), focuses on the emerging profiles of homicide victims and perpetrators, highlighting a worrying correlation between dysfunctional dynamics and the inability to regulate primary emotional systems [2025-07-18]. The murder of a young woman by her partner is discussed as a paradigmatic example of the "gray area" of femicide, often the final outcome of an undiagnosed Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). We emphasize the urgency of applying scientific screening protocols, such as the A.S.V.S. (AIPC Scientific Violence Screening) [cite: 22, 2025-06-26], and specific scales like the SVITR (Relational Traumatic Impact Assessment Scale) [cite: 2025-06-28, 2025-07-18], SVD_AMT, SVD_RA, and STREDA, as fundamental preventive tools to intercept the escalation of violence.

The "WHOEVER GETS CARE IS SAFE" campaign summarizes this urgency: treating trauma, in both the perpetrator and the victim, is the only path to collective safety.

Contacts and Bookings To learn about the campaign calendar, check availability, and schedule your free appointment, contact the Italian Center for Relational Psychotraumatology (CIPR). You can conduct the interview either in person (Pescara and Rome offices) or remotely (GoToMeeting platform).

Telephone and WhatsApp: 392 4401930 (active every day from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM) E-mail: aipcitalia@gmail.com Pescara Office: Corso Umberto I, 18, 65122 Pescara PE Rome Office: Via Giorgio Baglivi 6, 00161 Roma RM

Introduction The National Observatory on Family Homicides (ONOF) [2025-07-01], in collaboration with the Italian Association of Psychology and Criminology (AIPC) and the Italian Center for Relational Psychotraumatology (CIPR) [2025-07-01], constantly monitors the phenomenon of "family crimes." It is crucial to emphasize that this category, which includes homicides, attempted homicides, and suicides/attempted suicides, is analyzed by drawing exclusively from open sources (journalistic headlines and press agencies), and not from consolidated institutional data. The degree of "familiarity" is understood in a broad sense: from acquaintances and colleagues to kinship and affective relationships, current or past.

The AIPC/CIPR approach is founded on relational psychotraumatology. Violence is not seen as an isolated act ("raptus" [sudden impulse]), but as the apex of a traumatic continuum that profoundly alters emotional regulation [2025-07-18]. "Family crimes" are often the expression of C-PTSD, where the threat systems (FEAR, RAGE) are chronically hyper-activated and the pro-social systems (CARE, PLAY) are hypo-activated [2025-07-18]. Prevention, in this view, cannot be separated from a scientific risk assessment, possible only through integrated protocols like the A.S.V.S.

Listen to the podcast on the AIPC Editore Channel on Spotify MENTE|CRIMINE|TRAUMA, "ONOF Report on Family Homicides (October 9-15, 2025): 75% of women killed by partners/ex-partners; 67% of men killed by acquaintances. The urgency of scientific screening" click the link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gBAvJFo12YbQNjsdOAbur?si=rXcTk7v6TVKvVF8q-rGwvA

Profiles of the week (october 9-15, 2025): family homicides The analysis of the data collected in the report outlines specific profiles for the victims and perpetrators of homicide in the reference week.

In-depth profile of the family homicide victim The typical weekly profile identifies the victim as Female (55%), with an age range showing two extreme vulnerability peaks: 0-17 years (28%) and 18-35 years (28%). The most affected geographical area is the South and Islands (50%), and the prevalent weapon is Physical Assault (43%).

A deeper analysis of the familiarity data reveals a dramatically clear gender dynamic, which the aggregate profile does not show:

• 75% of female victims (3 out of 4) were killed by their partner (2) or ex-partner (1).
• About 67% of male victims (2 out of 3) were killed by acquaintances.

This breakdown confirms a structural pattern already highlighted by ONOF [2025-06-29, 2025-06-26]: lethal violence against women occurs predominantly within affective relationships (current or past), while that against men occurs more frequently in the context of acquaintances. Furthermore, the geographical prevalence in the South and Islands (50%) is primarily driven by the homicides of male victims (100% of men killed, 3 out of 3, were in the South), while female victims are distributed throughout the territory (North, Center, and South).

In-depth profile of the family homicide perpetrator The typical perpetrator profile is a Man (83%), predominantly aged 36-53 years (33%). He acts in the South and Islands (50%), and the most used weapons are Firearms (33%) and Physical Assault (33%).

Here too, the analysis of familiarity is illuminating. The raw data shows that the peaks of familiarity are Partner (33%) and Acquaintances (33%) (corresponding to 2 perpetrators each). This data is consistent with the victim profile:

• Perpetrators who killed their Partner are 100% Men (2 out of 2).
• The perpetrator who killed their Ex-Partner is 100% Man (1 out of 1).
• Perpetrators who killed Acquaintances are 100% Men (2 out of 2).

The only female perpetrator (17% of the total) acted in a kinship context. The age of male perpetrators is distributed across all adult brackets (18-35, 36-53, 54-71, 72+), indicating that lethal male violence is not a phenomenon tied to a specific age group, but a transversal method of conflict management.

If you prefer to browse the ebook of the weekly column, download it and read it whenever you want. Click on ONOF report October 9-15, 2025

Psychotraumatological Analysis: The "Gray Area" of Femicide The analysis of monitoring data highlights a strong volatility in the phenomenon. The profiles of victims and perpetrators are not static but fluctuate significantly from week to week, underscoring the need for constant analysis not based on pre-existing stereotypes.

This week, the data regarding the homicide of a 29-year-old woman in Milan, at the hands of her 52-year-old partner, is emblematic. Without referring nominally to the specific case, this dynamic (an adult man killing a much younger partner) rarely represents a sudden event. It is, rather, the explosion of that "gray area" of femicide, an area of chronic relational suffering, C-PTSD, and coercive control that evades the radar of traditional prevention.

From the perspective of relational psychotraumatology, the perpetrator is often stuck in a state of hyper-activation of the RAGE system, interpreting the relationship (or its end) as an existential threat [2025-07-18]. The victim, in turn, may be paralyzed by a hyper-activation of the FEAR or PANIC/SADNESS system [2025-07-18], which inhibits the ability to seek help (freezing).

Conclusions: Science as Prevention The data are not numbers; they are the chronicle of unprocessed trauma. Family violence does not have a single face, but common roots in emotional dysregulation and relational trauma [2025-07-18].

Preventive efficacy does not lie in reacting to the final event, but in the early identification of signals. Tools like the A.S.V.S. (AIPC Scientific Violence Screening), which integrates clinical interviews, psychophysiological assessment, and specific psychodiagnostics, and validated scales like the SVITR (Relational Traumatic Impact Assessment Scale) [2025-06-28], SVD_AMT, SVD_RA, and STREDA, are fundamental. These protocols allow us to "see" the gray area, to measure the real risk beyond the narrative, and to intervene before trauma turns into tragedy.

Invitation to the Seminar: From the Science of Complex Trauma to Violence Prevention The Italian Association of Psychology and Criminology (AIPC) and the Italian Center for Relational Psychotraumatology (CIPR) are pleased to invite all professionals residing in Abruzzo who deal with violence in various capacities (in particular, Operators of Anti-Violence Centers [CAV]/Centers for Abusive Men [CUAV], Social Workers, Lawyers, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, and Law Enforcement) to the free seminar:

"FROM THE SCIENCE OF COMPLEX TRAUMA TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION"

The event will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 09:30 AM to 12:30 PM, at the Conference Hall of the Pescara Police Headquarters (Questura).

This scientific-operational seminar will explore how Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) is at the root of violent dynamics and how scientific assessment tools, such as the SVITR scale [2025-06-28], can identify risk factors to structure effective preventive interventions. The event is part of the "WHOEVER GETS CARE IS SAFE" campaign.

Registration and Contacts Participation is free, but spots are limited. Registration is mandatory by sending the completed registration form by 1:00 PM on November 11, 2025.

• Download the Registration Form here: Link to Registration PDF
• Send the completed form to: aipcitalia@gmail.com [2025-07-15]

For more information on AIPC and CIPR activities:

• Email: aipcitalia@gmail.com [2025-07-15, 2025-07-02]
• WhatsApp Telephone: 3924401930 [2025-07-15, 2025-07-02]
• Website: www.associazioneitalianadipsicologiaecriminologia.it [2025-07-15, 2025-07-02]

Bibliographical References AIPC Editore. Italian Association of Psychology and Criminology (AIPC). www.associazioneitalianadipsicologiaecriminologia.it [cite: 190, 2025-07-02, 2025-07-15] Italian Center for Relational Psychotraumatology (CIPR). [2025-07-01, 2025-07-15] National Observatory on Family Homicides (ONOF). [2025-07-01]