The legislative, cultural, and symbolic choices that have been made in Italy in recent years directly impact women's ability to be believed, protected, and free.

The proposed amendment to Article 609bis of the Criminal Code – authored by President Bongiorno – fits squarely within this framework. It addresses the concept of consent and the way sexual violence is assessed, producing a shift in meaning that affects society as a whole. Women are once again officially forced to demonstrate that they have resisted, that they have said no. Those who support women every day in their journeys to escape violence know well how many and which exceptions to this simplification should be considered.

Per help block the Bongiorno proposal, a large and varied group of civil society entities has given life to the permanent laboratory consent_choice_freedom: a collective and responsible political choice, a public space for reflection, discussion, and initiative. A space rooted in feminist practices and open to dialogue with civil society as a whole, capable of bringing together analysis, experience, and political action, starting with the recognition of male violence as a structural and democratic issue.

Goals:

  • build one collective response
  • make the visible social and material effects of normative choices on consent and violence
  • strengthen a feminist reading independent
  • to promote a widespread mobilization capable of crossing territories, workplaces, social and cultural contexts for the day of February 15th
  • build a shared value that recognizes the free choice – and therefore consent – ​​as a fundamental right of women
  • to achieve a broad and transversal mobilization for the national demonstration February 28 in Rome

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Participating organizations: National Association of Pink Telephone Volunteers, International Women's House, D.i.Re – Women in Network against Violence, Pangea Foundation, Una Nessuna Centomila Foundation, REAMA Network with:

Actionaid, ADV – Against Domestic Violence, Amnesty International Italy, CGIL Belle Ciao, Scientific Committee of UNIRE – University Network Against Gender Violence, It's Our Turn, UDI – Women's Union in Italy, UIL, UISP – Gender Policies and Rights.

The lab_ is a dynamic collective, open to all organizations that want to block the Bongiorno bill.

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