Rome's Feminist March: A Rallying Cry Against Gender Violence
On Saturday, a significant demonstration organized by the feminist movement Non Una Di Meno (NUDM) unfolded in Rome, coinciding with the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed on November 25. The march attracted a massive turnout, with estimates from NUDM placing the number of participants at around 150,000. Beginning at Piazzale Ostiense and culminating at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, the event highlighted critical issues concerning gender violence in Italy and beyond.
This year’s protest served dual purposes: it marked not only the International Day dedicated to combating violence against women but also akin to two very public cases that have shaken Italian and international conscience—the anniversary of the femicide of Giulia Cecchettin and the high-profile trial involving Gisèle Pelicot.
The Pelicot case, one of the most discussed trials in France, involves accusations against 51 men who allegedly sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious, with complicity from her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, who reportedly drugged her over several years. The gravity of this case, along with Cecchettin’s tragic story, resonated deeply among demonstrators, prompting calls for justice and improved protections for women.
In a poignant statement of solidarity, street artist Laika unveiled a mural in Milan depicting Cecchettin and Pelicot, their fists raised—symbolizing resilience amid a brutally oppressive culture. During the Rome demonstration, participants held banners bearing the names of 106 women killed in femicides, as reported by NUDM’s observatory. This grim statistic underscores the ongoing prevalence of violence against women, rooted deeply in gender stereotypes and toxic power dynamics.
Frustration boiled over during the demonstration regarding perceived institutional failings in addressing such violence. Protesters hurled fuchsia paint against the offices of Rome’s Ministry of Social Policies, and a photo of Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara was set aflame. Valditara had made remarks suggesting that patriarchal structures were essentially resolved after the family law reform of 1975, a statement that was met with outrage as he dismissed the ongoing severity of gender violence as due to residual machismo and attributed its persistence to immigration.
The demonstrators raised their keys—a potent symbol representing that most femicides occur at the hands of intimate partners—underscoring the domestic nature of much violence against women, overwhelmingly perpetrated by Italian men. Their message was clear: gender violence is not a relic of the past but a contemporary crisis that demands urgent action.
Additionally, the march extended its reach beyond Italian borders, showing solidarity with international incidents of gender violence. During the demonstration, a group of women protested topless in support of Ahoo Daryaei, an Iranian student who was arrested after a public act of defiance.
Furthermore, demonstrators highlighted their call for the cessation of the Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip, connecting local activism to broader global struggles against oppression.
The emotions during the event were raw, with chants and signs not only commemorating the lives lost to gender violence but also demanding accountability, reform, and a societal shift in addressing these issues. As the march concluded, it echoed a powerful sentiment: the fight against gender violence must remain a unified and relentless effort, transcending borders and cultural divides.
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