https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A major internet abuse scandal rocking Italy is seen as a potential #MeToo moment for the country, though lawyers warn that many victims feel too trapped or intimidated to press charges. https://www.thelocal.it/20250905/will-the-online-abuse-scandal-be-italys-metoo-moment Fri, 05 Sep 2025 11:07:11 +0200 will-the-online-abuse-scandal-be-italys-metoo-moment Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday urged women to report images shared online without their consent, as the number of complaints rose and it emerged that the premier herself had been targeted. https://www.thelocal.it/20250829/italys-meloni-condemns-stolen-photos-on-porn-sites-as-outrage-grows Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:23:24 +0200 italys-meloni-condemns-stolen-photos-on-porn-sites-as-outrage-grows Italy’s government has announced measures to tackle a culture of ‘machismo and sexism’ following yet another femicide, but recent history shows why it will be hard to change attitudes, writes Silvia Marchetti. https://www.thelocal.it/20231201/opinion-why-ending-violence-against-women-will-be-a-tough-task-in-italy Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:27:04 +0100 opinion-why-ending-violence-against-women-will-be-a-tough-task-in-italy A university student's killing by her ex-boyfriend has led to mass protests in Italy and sparked a national debate over the country's problem with gender violence. But what's being done to change things? https://www.thelocal.it/20231127/giulia-cecchettin-how-italy-is-facing-up-to-gender-violence-after-students-murder Mon, 27 Nov 2023 16:00:12 +0100 giulia-cecchettin-how-italy-is-facing-up-to-gender-violence-after-students-murder Italian schools are “to address the issue of sexism, machismo and psychological and physical violence against women,” Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said on Wednesday, as part of a new push to prevent femicide. https://www.thelocal.it/20231122/italian-schools-to-tackle-machismo-and-sexism-after-students-murder Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0100 italian-schools-to-tackle-machismo-and-sexism-after-students-murder Murders of women in Italy increased by nearly 16 percent over the past year, with the vast majority committed by a partner or ex-partner. https://www.thelocal.it/20220815/femicide-increases-in-italy-official-data-shows Mon, 15 Aug 2022 19:34:12 +0200 femicide-increases-in-italy-official-data-shows On International Women's Day, The Local looks what it's like to be a woman in Italy today by the numbers. https://www.thelocal.it/20220308/11-statistics-that-show-the-state-of-gender-equality-in-italy Tue, 08 Mar 2022 17:02:28 +0100 11-statistics-that-show-the-state-of-gender-equality-in-italy Pope Francis described domestic violence as something "almost satanic" in an interview with Italian television on Monday, after a sharp rise in reports in Italy since the Covid pandemic began. https://www.thelocal.it/20211220/almost-satanic-pope-denounces-domestic-violence-amid-surge-in-italy Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:54:38 +0100 almost-satanic-pope-denounces-domestic-violence-amid-surge-in-italy The Italian government has approved new rules forbidding sexist or violent messages along Italy's roads. https://www.thelocal.it/20211110/italys-highway-code-bans-sexist-and-discriminatory-billboard-adverts Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:07:40 +0100 italys-highway-code-bans-sexist-and-discriminatory-billboard-adverts Europe's top rights court on Thursday criticised an Italian court for "playing down gender-based violence" after its ruling on a gang rape case referred to the alleged victim's sexuality, behaviour, and the colour of her underwear. https://www.thelocal.it/20210527/italian-court-fined-for-perpetuating-sexist-stereoypes-in-rape-case-ruling Thu, 27 May 2021 15:49:32 +0200 italian-court-fined-for-perpetuating-sexist-stereoypes-in-rape-case-ruling About 100 high-profile figures from lawmakers to writers have signed a petition calling on Italian dictionary Treccani to change its “sexist” definition of the word “woman”. https://www.thelocal.it/20210307/campaign-demands-italian-dictionary-treccani-change-its-sexist-definition-of-the-word-woman Sun, 07 Mar 2021 13:51:38 +0100 campaign-demands-italian-dictionary-treccani-change-its-sexist-definition-of-the-word-woman Italian state broadcaster Rai has opened an investigation into why one of its shows on Tuesday offered female viewers advice on how to look sexy while shopping in the supermarket. https://www.thelocal.it/20201125/italian-tv-show-investigated-after-outrage-over-sexy-shopping-tutorial Wed, 25 Nov 2020 18:53:57 +0100 italian-tv-show-investigated-after-outrage-over-sexy-shopping-tutorial An Italian boy has been banned for a year after exposing himself to taunt a female referee during an amateur football match, it was reported on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.it/20190530/italian-teen-banned-from-football-for-flashing-female-ref Thu, 30 May 2019 15:59:32 +0200 italian-teen-banned-from-football-for-flashing-female-ref Italy's highest court has thrown out a ruling that a woman couldn't be a victim of rape because judges deemed her "too masculine" and "unattractive". https://www.thelocal.it/20190410/italys-top-court-rules-physical-appearance-irrelevant-in-rape-cases Wed, 10 Apr 2019 13:34:17 +0200 italys-top-court-rules-physical-appearance-irrelevant-in-rape-cases Judges had said the alleged rape victim’s story was not believable because she was “unattractive.” https://www.thelocal.it/20190312/italian-rape-case-collapses-as-judges-rule-victim-too-masculine Tue, 12 Mar 2019 10:05:01 +0100 italian-rape-case-collapses-as-judges-rule-victim-too-masculine On Friday March 8th women across Italy will take action to demand equality. https://www.thelocal.it/20190307/what-you-need-to-know-about-womens-day-action-in-italy Thu, 07 Mar 2019 13:00:49 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-womens-day-action-in-italy A womens' day flyer printed by Italy’s League has been slammed as “backwards” for claiming the "natural role of women” is “the promotion and support of life and the family.” https://www.thelocal.it/20190306/league-womens-day-leaflet-womens-natural-role-is-supporting-the-family Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:11:31 +0100 league-womens-day-leaflet-womens-natural-role-is-supporting-the-family Mum cooks and irons while dad works or reads, according to a textbook being used in Italian schools. https://www.thelocal.it/20190226/mum-cooks-and-irons-dad-works-italian-school-textbook-triggers-outrage Tue, 26 Feb 2019 14:14:41 +0100 mum-cooks-and-irons-dad-works-italian-school-textbook-triggers-outrage Defender-turned-commentator Fulvio Collovati drew the ire of Italy's top female footballers after his TV outburst. https://www.thelocal.it/20190220/women-dont-understand-tactics-like-men-football-pundit-suspended-over-sexist-remarks Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:40:48 +0100 women-dont-understand-tactics-like-men-football-pundit-suspended-over-sexist-remarks When the Italian government sat down with heads of industry to discuss the budget this week, there was something noticeably missing from the picture: women. https://www.thelocal.it/20181212/why-are-there-so-few-women-in-italys-most-powerful-jobs Wed, 12 Dec 2018 11:48:08 +0100 why-are-there-so-few-women-in-italys-most-powerful-jobs