Hina Saleem, the daughter of a Pakistani immigrant to Italy, was killed by her father because he was appalled at her adoption of western ways. He slit her throat and buried her in the back garden. He and three other relatives who are now awaiting trial in Italy.
Loredana Gemelli, a self-described life-long leftwinger said, "I thought Hina would become a symbol for Italian women."
In an interview she decried
the fact that women's groups had, in fact, shown no interest whatsoever in either Hina or the trial.
Far from joining themselves to the civil suit Ms Gemelli had brought, feminist associations had "not lifted a finger", she said. Her explanation, which at least one noted feminist agreed with, is that Italy's women's groups - all of the left - were scared witless of seeming racist or anti-immigrant.
From the Guardian, An Uncomfortable Silence.
So if feminists and the left are not going to help, who will? The case of Hina Saleem offers a possible answer. It was not till last month that she was buried. Only one woman - apart from Loredana Gemelli - turned out for her funeral. Her name is Daniela Santanche and she is a member of the Italian parliament for the "post-fascist" National Alliance.
For anyone who regards himself or herself as liberal, that is cringe-makingly shameful.