Rome, Italy – At 5:15 AM on June 19, 2025, two activists from the movement Bruciamo Tutto staged a nonviolent civil resistance action outside the Department for Regional Affairs.
One of the women stapled a banner showing the distribution of anti-violence centers across Italian provinces. The map highlighted the lack of facilities in many regions. Within one minute, two building staff members forcibly intervened, tackling and detaining the women.
They were held on the street for an hour and then taken to the Trevi-Campo Marzio police station at 6:30 AM. They were released at 11:37 AM after being formally charged.
The activists explained that they had attempted a similar peaceful protest on June 13, 2025, but were prevented from putting up their map. This time, they chose a different hour, determined to assert their right to share vital information about a systemic failure.
According to Bruciamo Tutto, access to the “Reddito di Libertà” program requires a certificate from a local anti-violence center (CAV). But such centers are severely lacking. Italy should have one CAV per 50,000 women as per the Istanbul Convention. In 2023, the ratio was one per 76,923 women, leaving a shortfall of at least 220 centers. Only 25 provinces meet the minimum standard, while 64 provinces need at least one more CAV.
This shortage prevents equal access to the support and autonomy needed to escape domestic violence. The activists demand government recognition of this failure and urgent action.
They criticize the repression of peaceful efforts to raise awareness, especially given that Italy signed the Istanbul Convention but is failing to uphold it.
Bruciamo Tutto, a transfeminist liberation movement, says the state and much of society refuse to acknowledge the need for deep cultural transformation. The group advocates for an improved “Reddito di Libertà”—a €500 monthly aid for 12 months—to become truly effective and accessible.
The movement calls for others in the transfeminist and queer resistance network to join in demanding systemic change and resisting patriarchal violence, even in the face of legal consequences.
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