Violence against women: a cultural problem
With regressive attitudes growing amongst the young, how do we build a future of prevention?
Yesterday, 25th November, marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, established by the UN in 1999. However, reflection and action cannot be confined to a single day.
Tragically, not a day passes without news of a femicide. And if not explicitly, then there are reports of online violence, manipulation, oppression, and the absence of equal opportunities. In other words, there are constant attempts to silence and diminish the female figure.
It is a sobering thought that this violence was only formally recognised as a violation of human rights in 1993, with the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (DEVAW) by the UN General Assembly. This was further reinforced by the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, which also acknowledged it as a human rights violation.
Right. Formally recognised only in 1993…
Violence against women: data and context
The data on femicides are not just ‘crime news,’ but the last, tragic link in a chain. According to Istat, over 31% of women in Italy have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime (from the age of 16). Furthermore, the European Parliament states that one in three women in the EU has experienced physical violence, sexual violence, or threats as an adult.
United Nations data indicate that one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by an intimate partner or family member.
Femicide is the culmination of violence that often began much earlier. We need to talk about it to recognise the signs long before it is too late.
As Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, insightfully notes:
“For the first time in history, repeated studies are suggesting that the most misogynistic, outdated, regressive attitudes towards women and girls are now the most common amongst the youngest.”
Dismantling stereotypes: the “I didn’t expect that.”
How many times have we heard “but he was a good guy”? It is time to dismantle this dangerous cliché. The “monster” does not exist; what exists is the “normal” man who does not accept rejection and who considers a woman his property. Violence lies there, in pathological jealousy, in control, in stalking. We must learn to recognise these red flags, because there is no such thing as a “violent look”.
A focus on prevention: what can we actually do?
Beyond indignation, we need prevention. Prevention means sexual and emotional education in schools, to teach respect and how to manage emotions. It means supporting anti-violence centres, which save lives every day. It means, for each of us, not looking the other way when we hear a worrying argument from a neighbour. Violence is fought with culture.
Yet, in Italy, the government appears to disagree with this approach. Indeed, Minister Roccella has stated that there is no data to prove that sexual and emotional education in schools helps to prevent violence.
Final thoughts: violence against women is a cultural problem
Before we conclude, we also want to suggest reading a powerful testimony written by one of our friends—a heartbreaking story of abuse that sheds light on the real, everyday consequences of this cultural problem. (Find it here.)
As we reflect on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we must be clear that the problem is systemic. Women start from a disadvantaged position, as we are still considered a possession of men—whether husbands, partners, or family members. We are still considered less than men.
The subordination or perceived inferiority of women is the oldest prejudice in human history.
Violence against women is a cultural problem. And fighting it requires an everyday commitment—especially in a society facing cultural regression.
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