Violence against women: Giusy Versace brings students to the Senate to talk about femicide and cultural change

Violence against women: Giusy Versace brings students to the Senate to talk about femicide and cultural change

In the Sala Zuccari of the Senate, Versace organized a press conference on gender violence, which was attended by institutions, artists and students. Here too the 'minute of noise' for Giulia Cecchettin was observed!

In the week in which Italy is shocked by yet another brutal femicide of the student Giulia Cecchettin and a few days before the International Day against Violence against Women next November 25, Giusy Versace organized Tuesday 21 Novemberin Senate an important moment of in-depth analysis and discussion on the topic, in which prominent figures from politics and institutions participated, the artist and founder of the 'Wall of Dolls' non-profit organization Jo Squillo, the psychiatrist and Social Health Director of ATS Metropolitan City of Milano Rossana Giove and about thirty students from the 'Pio IX' Applied Science High School in Rome.

The conference began with a minute of silence in memory of the Venetian student and all the women victims of feminicide, followed by a minute of 'noise for Giulia', as desired by the Cecchettin family and as is happening in various schools. The meeting then got underway with the screening of an excerpt from the exciting documentary film 'The Beauty of Rebirth' made by Jo Squillo and by the journalist Francesca Carollo, in which three women were interviewed who survived the brutality of their husbands and boyfriends and who now experience a new concept of beauty on their bodies.

“Through art and communication we try to speak to young people, encourage women to report violence before it is too late and make men understand that women are not a doll. For nine years I have founded the non-profit organization 'Wall of Dolls' which fights against gender violence, through the installation of real walls of dolls in various Italian cities and from today our tour around Italy begins. This afternoon we will be at the wall of dolls in Rome in via degli Acquasparta 16, while tomorrow we will be at the Gerolamo theater in Milano, on November 23rd in Udine and Cesena, on November 24th we will bring the schools to via De Amicis 2 to Milano, on the 25th again at Milano and in Genoa with a demonstration in Piazza De Ferrari and on 26 November in Brescia in via Calatafimi 1 and in Trieste in via dei Navali 9. This is our way of acting and creating culture", said Jo Squillo.

An hour and a half of intense discussion, dialogue, ideas and reflections on how to act to stop this atrocious plague that has already taken its toll this year alone 105 victims in Italy.

From debate it emerged that school, family and politics are the three areas on which to continue working to trigger a cultural change and reverse this terrible course. Politics, which has already done a lot in recent years with the introduction of the national anti-violence number 1522, the law against stalking, the 'red code' and the introduction of 'Revenge Porn' as a new type of crime, the financing of anti-violence centers , of the tightening of punishment and sentimental education at school proposed in the 'Roccella' bill which will be voted on in the Senate tomorrow.

“I am happy that today many students have accepted my invitation to participate in this important morning of discussion because they are the future and it is from them that we must start to build a better society and for their presence I also thank the principal, Prof. Rusconi, who together with the other teachers authorized the trip"he recalled Giusy Versace.

Finally, some good news comes from Dr. Rossana Giove: “A Milano and Lodi the 'Luna Nuova' project started, promoted by 'Telefono Donna' and supported by ATS Città Metropolitana di Milano, which offers an additional service to women victims of violence who arrive at the emergency room on weekends or at night, guaranteeing them reception in a secret accommodation, waiting to then be sent to anti-violence centres. All this in agreement with the Police Headquarters and the Court of Milano".

Furthermore, again Rossana Giove, recalled how it is fundamental in recovery process for violent men, including adequate and constant psychological support, which is too often underestimated.

The debate also saw the active participation of the Hon. Martina Semenzato, Sen. Roberto Marti, Sen. Mariastella Gelmini, Sen. Valeria Valente. Also the Hon. Elena Bonetti and the Hon. Mara Carfagna participated.

“I thank all the colleagues who attended, who once again made themselves available to enrich this morning, helping me to make the topic increasingly shared and transversal” concluded Giusy Versace.