“Gender violence is not just a private matter, but a social emergency that affects everyone. With this bill, we want to respond with strength, determination and a multidisciplinary approach to a problem that profoundly affects the lives of many women in Calabria”.
This is what he says the regional councilor of the Democratic Party, Amalia Brunimember of the Health Commission who yesterday filed a bill regarding “Prevention and combating gender violence against women and their children”, which aims to strengthen the protection of victims, prevent violence, and create support paths and recovery.
A bill divided into 25 articles which addresses the phenomenon of violence against women and their children in a global and systematic manner, laying the foundations for a real cultural and structural revolution in our territory.
The proposed law addresses gender violence in all its forms: physical, psychological, economic and sexual, and intends to bring Calabria to a level of excellence in combating and preventing these crimes, promoting a living environment free from violence and full of opportunities for women and their children.
“The data on gender violence in Calabria are alarming and require immediate interventions. According to the most recent reports of the Regional Observatory on gender violence, Calabria is above the national average for “spy crimes” of stalking and mistreatment against family members and cohabitants. Furthermore, the femicide rate in our region is 0.33% higher than the national average”, explained councilor Bruni.
“The situation is aggravated by ISTAT data, which confirm the seriousness of the phenomenon: over 30% of women in Calabria have suffered physical or sexual violence in their lives. A particularly worrying figure is the increase in calls to the emergency number 1522, with an increase of 37.3% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year. However, 73% of women who turn to services do not formally report the violence they have suffered, for fear of retaliation – states Bruni -. In 2024, Calabria saw an increase in victims of femicide, an unmistakable sign of how widespread and deep-rooted the phenomenon is. These data require a rapid and structured response.”
The bill aims to create an integrated system of actions against gender violence, addressing every aspect of the phenomenon with concrete solutions. Among the main objectives of the law we find: prevention and awareness: the introduction of educational and cultural campaigns, particularly in schools, workplaces and the media, to counteract gender stereotypes and promote respect and equality; protection and support for victims: the law provides for the strengthening and expansion of refuge homes and anti-violence centres, guaranteeing safe reception and paths to autonomy for women victims of violence, also in relation to the minors involved, defining a single regional fund to finance the activities of the structures and guarantee the continuity of services; recovery paths for perpetrators of violence: interventions are planned for those responsible for violence, with specific recovery programs that reduce the risk of recidivism; intersectoral actions and coordination: the establishment of a regional coordination table, which involves all institutions, public bodies and private social sectors to guarantee synergistic and monitored action on the territory; support for victims in the health, education and work fields: the law provides for health interventions dedicated to women victims of violence, support actions for the employment of victims and specific projects to guarantee the right to housing, in particular for women with minor children; continuous training: one of the central aspects of the proposal is the training of operators involved in the management of cases of violence, to ensure uniform and qualified treatment of victims and timely and targeted intervention; monitoring and data collection: the introduction of a monitoring and data collection system that allows the effectiveness of actions to be analyzed and adapted to the real needs of the territory, with particular attention to the evolution of the phenomenon and the adoption of good practices.
“This law is not limited to being an emergency response, but a long-term vision that combines protection, prevention and support. With everyone’s support and collaboration, we can build a safer, fairer and more equal Calabria for women and for everyone”, concluded the councilor.