The antidote to violence is respect not control

Violence against women has its roots in a culture that considers women's bodies as men's property. It is a culture that despises women and considers them inferior, denying them their freedom and self determination.

We are once more protesting on the streets because rape is a horrible form of violence and because the clamour that has been raised by the latest terrible episodes has deliberately diverted public attention from the true roots of violence and against women to problems of security.

All statistical data confirms that most violence, including sexual assaults and murder of women (one every two days) are perpetrated within the walls of the family home by men who are known to the victim: husbands, partners, boyfriends, relatives, friends...

It is hypocritical and manipulative to assign the primary responsibility to immigrants. This does nothing other than feed intolerance and racism.

Television, newspapers and advertisements often use the feminine body in an offensive and degrading manner. Unfortunately, the current prime minister only confirms this sexist culture when he refers to women - often and with great enjoyment - using trivial and humiliating compliments.

The sexist culture that considers and represents women as inferior beings bears the primary responsibility for the violence!

To confront the drama of violence against women, we don't need urgent decrees on security, which, among other things, propose vigilante patrols, as if women were "property" to be guarded.

We are protesting to reaffirm that women's bodies cannot and must not be used in a manipulative way by anyone and that we wish to live in a secular state in which the control of one's own body, life and death are individual rights - as our Consitution clearly states.

The shame of sexist violence in all its aspects cannot be resolved exclusively by repression and more severe punishment. It is necessary to refinance and empower anti-violence centres and safe houses for women victims of violence.

But above all a profound change in the culture and in the relations between men and women is needed. Everyone must take part personally. A project and work that aim to sensibilise people from childhood on to the need for a culture that affirms respect between the sexes.

Via Vanchiglia 3 – 10124 Torino Tel. 011 8122519 e-mail casadelledonne@tin.it www.casadelledonnetorino.it

f.i.p. 3 marzo 2009

dalle donne in nero di Torino