Violence against women is a constantly growing phenomenon that can manifest itself in two different ways: the psychic violence and the physical one. Both cases have serious consequences for the individual who suffers it. In our society we still tend to give much importance to the male figure who is in a dominant position, being also physically stronger, as opposed to the woman who is put in the background. This happens especially in Islamic countries where, also for reasons related to the religion, the woman is submissive to the man and she is powerless in comparison to him. In most cases, the violence against women takes place within the walls of the home where many women suffer at the hand of a man who can be a companion, a husband, but also at times a father, psychological violence, and especially the physical which manifest themselves very often through injuries or marks on the body. Many women still today, prefer to remain silent rather than denounce the acts suffered out of fear and to self-convince themselves that things can get better in the future. In spite of the violence against women is a phenomenon that is now known for years but not yet defeated permanently, women, precisely because there are frightened by the consequences that might have them come forward and speak prefer, often for the love, stay in silence, but this is the worst choice that they can do because it does not allow them to get out of this situation, and even more to punish those responsible for their suffering. According to the latest statistics: 14.4% of women in the world say that they are or that they have been subject of violence by their partner, to be exact 12% of physical violence and 6.2% of sexual violence. Of the remaining 24.7% there are 9.8% of physical violence caused by acquaintances or strangers.
On the 25th of November is considered as the international day for the elimination of violence against women, because in this day of the year 1960 in the Dominican Republic were killed three sisters, called in the following “Las Mariposas”- the butterflies, becoming as result an icon of opposition to violence, in fact, in this day it is used to fill in the squares with red-coloured shoes, which indicate the blood of women died because of acts of violence. This idea starts from Elina Chauvet, who through these red shoes wanted to expose the problem by attracting the attention and make people understand that violence is neither acceptable nor habitual.
Valentina Cervoni, Giulia Cialani,
Jessica Mostovaya and Giulia Viscioni
