THEn rape case«It’s not us who are wrong»: it doesn’t seem like a difficult concept to understand. Yet, women and girls still today must continually remind and underline it to all those who believe, and unfortunately there are many, both male and female, who the victim of sexual violence has in some way provoked that gesture miserable and vile.
Letter from a girl after rape
The violence perpetrated this summer from Palermo to Caivano has left its mark on an Italy already wounded by the high number of feminicides. Maybe that’s why it writer Stefano Massiniinvited to open the new edition of the La7 program Piazzapulita, read at the beginning of the episode a “letter to men” written by a little girl, then, rape victim from one of the many kids who are preparing to start the school year these days.
«The problem is you men»
«I want to address only the boys, because in the end we always sing it, but the problem is you men – writes the university student still tormented by the violence she suffered. – To you, boy with the ‘o’ at the end, it is you I speak to. Five years ago I was someone like you, starting school. I had my cell phone, my sneakers. Boys and girls are no different at the beginning of school. Then something happens and you can see the difference. They put it into your heads that to be liked, to make an impression, you have to be strong, big, and you have to show it to everyone.”
At the beginning of the episode of the La7 program Piazzapulita, the writer Stefano Massini read a “letter to men” written by a young girl who was a victim of rape (Getty)
“Do you really think you have balls?”
And that boy who destroyed her life was precisely one of these: «He didn’t scare anyone, but evidently he wanted to prove it. Sometimes you don’t need to be a criminal, just someone who wants to show they have balls. That boy knew my name, but in those minutes when he did everything to me it was as if he had forgotten it. He called me “good”. I think about this today, why do you want to laugh? I never liked my name. But you see, despite everything that I didn’t like, that name is mine, it belongs to me.”
If you want a woman to like you, respect her
The student continues: «So, dear boy starting school, I feel like telling you this: every time you feel you have to prove you have the balls, remember that a strong person really isn’t measured by whether he has to cancel out others. If you really want a woman to like you, respect her. And then you will be very strong. When someone tries to prove that he is strong he is not, he is a tyrant, and tyrants are rabbits in disguise. As for me, I had to rebuild my strength, piece by piece. And my strength is knowing that no one can decide anything about me, not even and above all what my name is».
Palermo rape: «They are the beasts»
It is truly incredible to have to read and listen to such words from a very young girl, whose life will be forever marked by someone who uses domination to feel virile and who also seems to be in good company. Of no different thought, moreover, too the victim of the Palermo rapewho entrusted his reflections to an open letter sent to Mediaset’s “Zona Bianca” programme.
«I’ve read about girls who don’t want to go out anymore after what happened to me… But why deprive ourselves of going out? They are the beasts that should be deprived. We are not wrong! Men who still see women as a sexual object and that’s it are wrong. Many women are afraid to report sometimes out of shame. We need to understand that we shouldn’t be the ones to be ashamed but who dares to touch us without our consent. I am sure that by getting rid of all the people who perpetrate violence against women, thanks to complaints and thanks to a fair law, there could be a more beautiful world.”
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