Violence against women remains a significant problem in many countries across Europe and the world. We regularly hear about girls being raped, beaten, or abused, often because they leave their partners or refuse to accept disrespectful behaviour. Tragically, the reasons for these violent acts are usually trivial.

In Italy, the scourge of femicide continues. Since December 2023, more than 40 women have lost their lives. On Wednesday, 26 June, activists gathered in Rome's Piazza di Spagna and poured red paint on the famous Spanish Steps. They aimed to draw attention to a problem that the Italian authorities have been unable to address effectively. "Paint can be washed off, but life cannot be restored," read the banners carried by women's rights activists in Rome.

In November 2023, one of the largest demonstrations against violence against women took place in Rome. The protest was sparked by the violent death of Giulia Cecchettin, who was murdered by her boyfriend because he could not accept that she no longer wanted to be with him. She was only 22 years old. Since then, more than 40 women have lost their lives in Italy, prompting activists to gather once again in Rome.

"This paint symbolises the blood of the 40 women who have been killed since Giulia Cecchettin's murder. Countless others suffer daily violence and abuse simply because of their gender. This is their blood. It represents a carnage that society prefers to ignore, one that remains hidden and disturbingly accepted, as if death at the hands of a husband, partner, or child is somehow normal," said one of the demonstrators in an interview with Corriere della Sera.

During the protest, another protester mentioned the moving words of Giulia Cecchettin's sister. In November 2023, she called for action instead of silence. She suggested that instead of a moment of silence to honour the victim, laws should be changed, women should be given more support, and women's fears about their partners should be taken seriously. As a symbol, the activists placed pictures of the 40 murdered women on the steps covered in paint.

"We are here for that reason. We are here to shout out our pain and make the problem recognised. Our government is not responding to these tragedies. This paint can be washed off, but life cannot be restored," one protester told the media.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza