Summary of story from Reuters, 13.2.11

Hundreds of thousands of women rallied in Rome and other Italian cities on Sunday, incensed by prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s sex scandal which they say has disgraced Italy (and see earlier WVoN story).

“Women are offended. The image of our country that Berlusconi is presenting to the world is just unbearable,” said 52-year-old Roberta Nicchiarelli at a rally in Rome.

The protests in more than 200 towns in Italy and even some cities abroad reflect growing anger among women at the prostitution scandal that has engulfed the premier, who has long counted conservative women among his key voters.

“I voted for him in the past, but I am really disappointed. I hope things will change,” said former Berlusconi voter Pina.

Members of the premier’s ruling center-right PDL party branded the protests as a radical, politically motivated act by the opposition, but political party flags were noticeably absent from most rallies.

Prosecutors filed a request last week to bring Berlusconi to trial, accusing him of paying for sex with a nightclub dancer known by her stage name “Ruby” when she was under 18, which is illegal in Italy.

The 74-year old billionaire premier has dismissed the accusations as “disgusting and disgraceful.” He says he has done nothing illegal and that he is the target of those who wanted to carry out a political “coup by moralists.”

At last, women in Italy are making their feelings known. Not before time, some might say.

Added by editor, 17.2.11

WVoN has now made contact with an Italian woman – Stefania Boleso – who was at the protest. She says:

“[The protests] took place in more than 230 cities/towns all around Italy

The slogan was: “Se non ora, quando?” (If not now, when?); it started with the web, and day after day it grew bigger and bigger. One million people protested all around the country.

Don’t think it was a protest only against Berlusconi; it was a protest against a whole system that he created and spread in Italy during the years, and that no one of his opponents ever tried to change.

In fact there were no, or very few, flags of political parties.

I attented the protest march, as I see a country that I do not like, a country that doesn’t invest in the future, where women are considered as if they were objects, where it doesn’t matter how intelligent you are and how long you have studied, as meritocracy doesn’t exist.

The day was simply fantastic! Even in rainy Milan, the whole area was packed with women, but also men, young and old people, families with children and dogs.

I have never seen so many people in Milan attending a march (the city is pretty right wing oriented, meaning pretty conservative). You could really smell a “wind of change”, or, at least, the hope for a wind of change.

If I should sum up the day, I would use the same sentence a friend of mine used: “Today I am a bit prouder of being Italian, and very proud of being a woman”.

What’s next? I don’t know; but now that we know our strength, for sure we will not stop.

You know, it would be very funny, and probably the best thing that could happen, if Berlusconi collapsed because of women…”

Wow, how brilliant. And how inspiring.

Thanks to @stefaniaboleso for telling us firsthand about her experience. If you’d like to read more, Stefania also blogs (in Italian) here.