November 25th marks a key date dedicated to raising awareness and promoting the elimination of violence against women, a phenomenon that unfortunately remains widespread even today in our country.
Established by the United Nations in 1999, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was created in memory of the Mirabal sisters, brutally murdered on November 25th, 1960, in the Dominican Republic while on their way to visit their husbands, who had been imprisoned as political detainees during the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo.

In Italy, the initiative has gained increasing prominence since the early 2000s, thanks to the contributions of anti-violence centers and numerous associations that began promoting meetings, debates, and awareness-raising activities.

This commitment has progressively broadened the impact of the Day, leading in recent years to public demonstrations that are increasingly large and widely attended.

This renewed social and cultural engagement has also fostered significant legislative developments aimed at addressing previous shortcomings in the effective implementation of the Istanbul Convention, the first legally binding international instrument against violence toward women and gender-based violence.

Among the most significant legislative measures is the amendment to Article 609-bis of the Italian Penal Code concerning sexual violence.
The approval of the amendment introduced an additional paragraph, placed at the beginning of the provision, which states:

“Anyone who, through violence or threats or by abusing authority, forces another person to perform or submit to sexual acts shall be punished with imprisonment from six to twelve years.”

This legislative clarification strengthens the framework of protection for victims and reaffirms the need for effective and timely action against all forms of abuse.

It highlights, in particular, the importance of combating gender-based violence, understood as any form of violence inflicted on a person because of their gender or associated social expectations.

This phenomenon requires not only adequate punitive measures, but also ongoing cultural and institutional commitment aimed at prevention.

The Law Firm remains available for any further clarification.