«We want to send a message to women who suffer violence: they are not alone. They must have the courage to denounce and trust in the institutions, institutions ready to welcome them and ensure that they can have a different life. That courage of denunciation represents their freedom. And the Region is at their side today.” This was said by the regional councilor for Welfare, Pasqualina Straface, presenting in Catanzaro the three-year plan of interventions 2026-2028 of the Calabria Region for the prevention and fight against gender violence.
«Today – added Straface – the Calabria Region will not talk about proclamations and announcements, but about what it has already put in place. We have built a system that starts from prevention, from asking for help, from protection and reception, up to social inclusion and reintegration, housing autonomy and economic independence. Every day the news gives us dramatic events that also affect our Region. Politics must intervene first, recognize the signs of an abusive relationship, intervene on the cultural models that fuel it and above all educate young people about respect, affection, freedom and equal dignity of people. We have a responsibility to impact our youth and build healthy relationships.”
«The presence of Maria Ida Santopaolo, who was saved from a dramatic feminicide attempt, and of the lawyer Diego Cassetti, who with his strength and courage managed to save her life, testifies – the regional councilor for Welfare argued – how thin the border is between a tragedy and salvation. We want attentive, reactive and courageous communities, capable of identifying danger signs, intervening promptly and not looking the other way.”
A project aimed at schools was also presented, which involves the signing of a protocol between the Calabria Region and the Regional School Office. «We are allocating – continued Straface – 300 thousand euros for authorized anti-violence centres. The operators will enter schools to raise young people’s awareness of the recognition of obsessive and abusive relationships and the importance of help and listening centres. There will also be an educational video created together with the Calabria Film Commission Foundation, intended for secondary school students, with a contemporary, direct and rigorous language, without spectacularising the pain, to accompany young people towards awareness and above all towards breaking the silence. The Calabria Region has already made 8 million euros available to strengthen centers to combat gender violence, for the prevention, autonomy and support of women in escaping violence. The tender for the opening of another seven anti-violence centers expires on 30 September and 17 ‘Free Women’ projects are already operational, dedicated to the autonomy, independence and economic training of women”.
«We have also paid attention to minors who witness violence, to the training of operators and to the CUV, the centers for abusive men, because we must prevent the recurrence and cycles of violence. These are projects – concluded the regional councilor – that must not start: they have already started, with decrees and tenders”.
Survivor of attempted femicide: “Decisive network”
«I hope that my testimony is an example and can give courage to women who are unable to report it, who are unable to talk about it. I don’t want them to be alone in their pain, because it’s not right.” The speaker is Maria Ida Santopaolo, the young pharmacist from Terranova da Sibari (Cosenza), who survived a dramatic attempted femicide a few months ago. The young woman brought her experience to the headquarters of the Calabria Region in Catanzaro on the occasion of the presentation of the three-year plan of interventions against gender violence. «I think – continues Maria Ida Santopaolo – that these are things that must be shared, supported, and the network, as councilor Straface said, is large, it exists and must be used in the best way. My case is a very isolated case, actually, because it was an episode. Fortunately, I don’t come from a history of abuse that has been prolonged over time, so maybe it’s not really the case that needs to be shed light on. But she was certainly very close to me in this matter, in carrying forward my battle against violence. And in my case – concludes Maria Ida Santopaolo – the difference in my life was made by my friends, who saved me”.
With her at the headquarters of the Calabria Region also Diego Cassetti, the young man who with an extraordinary gesture of courage and promptness intervened to save her life: «The message that I feel like bringing personally is to never look the other way. Even if there are situations that are scary, there is a solidarity that, when such despicable situations occur, requires us not to look the other way and to intervene. It is important – adds Diego Cassetti – to teach education, respect for women and, in general, non-violence as a solution to disputes. It is an important program that the Calabria Region has created, especially to teach young people in schools to manage the traumatic or pathological phases of a relationship, when there is rejection or jealousy, educating them to face these moments without resulting in violence. It is very important for a person to surround themselves with a network of friends. It is useful for identifying behaviors that could lead to pathological or violent attitudes and, above all, for not treating problematic moments with indifference. In the case of Maria Ida, both Daniel and I were very attentive to what was happening. We clearly didn’t know that it could be an attack, however, precisely by virtue of our friendship, we managed to intervene and avoid the worst”