Reflections on Misogynistic Culture in Italy

by Tash Tailby-Faulkes

On a recent train journey through Italy’s Veneto region, my friends and I found ourselves stuck in a busy carriage next to a group of Italian men. From the moment we got on the train, an uncomfortable atmosphere settled in the carriage, and it became increasingly difficult to ignore the words and gestures of the all-male group. Assuming that my friends and I could not understand them, the men spoke openly, in Italian, examining our looks. The men focused particularly on one girl, whose body they discussed and dissected throughout the length of the journey. The temptation to tell the men, as we disembarked, that we could in fact understand them, was overridden by the fear of their potential response. Whether we had understood their words or not, the gestures and glances of the men were enough to make it clear that we were dominating their conversation. Only as we left did we notice that four out of the group of five were all wearing wedding rings.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, and we have all experienced similar levels of objectification since being in Italy. Beeping horns, crude words shouted from car windows and blatant stares in the street are enough to ensure that I would never walk alone in a dark Italian street. At home in the UK I am equally as cautious; however the threat here seems somewhat more relentless.

The forces behind Italy’s outdated views and treatment of women are complex. The inextricable role of the Catholic church in society, and its influence on politics, is, to some, the most significant. The deep-rooted gender imbalance that still lurks in Christianity cannot be underestimated as a medium for the ongoing sexism in Italian society. In 2021, CESNUR estimated that 74.5% of Italians and foreigners living in Italy were Catholic. This is not to say that this majority are practicing Catholics, however, Catholic traditions and beliefs are so embedded in Italian culture and society that its influence is palpable.

Furthermore, Italy’s political landscape represents a wider spread sexism across Italian society. No discussion of Italian politics and misogyny would be complete without looking at the influence of the late Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi served intermittently as prime minister between 1994 and 2011, and his political career is peppered with trials and accusations of inappropriate behaviour and sexual assault. Describing a candidate for Mayor of Rome in 2016, who just so happened to be pregnant, Berlusconi announced “it is clear to everyone that a mother cannot devote herself to a job and this would be a terrible job, because Rome is in such a terrible state.” The inappropriate nature of this comment is so shocking that it is almost laughable, and yet this is only the tip of the iceberg.  Berlusconi’s so-called “bunga bunga” sex parties became infamous, and in 2014 he was acquitted on appeal of paying an underage sex-worker for sex at one of these parties. Is it any wonder then, that a country governed by the likes of Berlusconi continues to display such blatant sexism?

Beyond the uncomfortable and lascivious stares received by myself and my friends, the issue of gender imbalance in Italy runs much deeper. Like so many other countries across the world, violence against women in Italy is not uncommon. Almost a third of women in Italy have experienced physical or sexual violence, or both, and in 2022, the rate of femicide in Italy increased, naming it the third highest in Europe. This tragic increase demonstrates a lack or failure of Italian legislation to protect the women, outlined by the World Economic Forum’s gender equality ranking, which rates Italy 79th of 146 countries, one of the lowest in Europe.

Clearly, I was wrong in my understanding that western Europe was making great strides towards gender equality. A few days in Italy is enough to make any woman anxious for their security. That is, of course, not to discourage any woman from visiting the beautiful and culture-rich country. Unfortunately however, for any female, a trip to Italy does not necessarily mean total relaxation.