“We can no longer ask ourselves, after a femicide, because it happened: you have to act. Prevention and concrete actions are needed to support a cultural change ». Arianna Gentili is the person responsible for 1522 for a women’s difference of 1522, the free number of anti -violence and anti -stalking, promoted by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Equal Opportunities, free and active 24 hours a day. We ask her after the feminicides of Ilaria Sula, twenty -two years of disappearance in Rome on March 25th and found today in pieces in a suitcase, and of Sara Campane, days ago in Messina.
15 feminicides in Italy since the beginning of the year, an infinite drama. Why?
“We are investing too little on prevention, you cannot always and only manage the emergency. The last two cases are confirmed what we have been saying for some time: violence is transversal, it concerns everyone. Ilaria and Sara were two very common girls, very young university students».
Are we led to think that the violence take place in contexts of fragility?
«Yes, that’s the case. After new cases we always detect an increase in contacts to 1522. There are feminicides that resonate more than others and in which we identify ourselves for contexts similar to one’s own: it is realized that what happened could happen to us too. Some behaviors must be paid immediately. It is very serious that someone does not accept our decisions, follow us, he continually ask for explanations. We must not wait to get to physical violence, these behaviors should be reported immediately, to our protection, by contacting an anti -violence center or calling 1522, even just for a comparison. Often women wait for the persecutor to stop it, hoping that he gets tired. Vice versa, the more time passes the more the man feels that he loses control over the victim and comes to the escalation of violence ».
It is to say that in Italy prevention is not enough, is that so?
«Spot interventions are not enough. We cannot – for example – do not speak in schools of relationships, consensus, respect: we must help children and teenagers to build a new, inclusive culture. And it is also necessary to make a carpet for those who, law enforcement and health workers, come into contact with victims of violence ».
In March in our country the femicide as a specific crime, punished with life imprisonment. Is it a sufficient measure?
«As the lawyer Teresa Manente, head of the legal difference, is also satisfied, we are satisfied because for the first time we speak of social and structural violence. However, the tools are needed to make the norm effective and operational. The measure must be supported economically, economic investments are needed for concrete actions of change. We can no longer ask ourselves, after a femicide, because it happened: you have to act ».
