The vademecum to prevent gender-based violence distributed by the Municipality of Cividale on Thursday in the city’s high schools «cannot be collected, having now been delivered to the students», but the student “revolt” against some sentences contained in the brochure «will not be underestimated , representing an important signal”.
The mayor of the ducal city, Daniela Bernardi, does not dissociate herself from the initiative – promoted together with the Region – but accepts the position of dissent expressed by students and minority forces and is open to confrontation: «The heated discussion generated by the episode – comments in fact the first town – not a bad thing, on the contrary.
It probably demonstrates that the time has come to start a serious discussion between public administrations and the new generations, to define “guidelines” that can be shared by young people and be useful: because if what is written in the text appears anachronistic and offensive to young people , the escalation of cases of violence is also undeniable and it is therefore the duty of the institutions to do everything possible to stem the phenomenon”.
The leaflet, he then observes, contains “simple suggestions dictated by common sense”: “By reading the text in a linear and consequential way – Bernardi observes – one realizes this. If, on the other hand, we limit ourselves to extrapolating a few sentences, the message changes profoundly. No one questions the freedom of the individual to dress and move as he sees fit.
The fact remains that society, unfortunately, is not always what we hope for and the world is not without risks: here, then, some precautions can help prevent problematic or even dramatic situations.
Saying this does not at all mean justifying the aggressors, who remain solely responsible for the abuses; it simply means indicating some tools that allow potential victims to defend themselves, while the struggle to spread a culture of respect continues – and this is imperative.
It is necessary to dedicate oneself to this commitment with tenacity and constancy, even in the awareness that cultural changes, alas, are not generated overnight, often requiring a very long time.
So let’s all do our best to encourage them, but in the meantime let’s pay the necessary attention and try to defend ourselves with some precautions that respond, trivially, to the logic of prudence and sensibleness».
As for the pamphlets in circulation, «those who don’t agree with them are free to throw them in the garbage», comments Bernardi, finally reiterating what has already been expressed by the councilor for social policies Catia Brinis: «The pamphlet is not at its “debut”: in the years last year a similar distribution had taken place in schools, without, however, anyone raising any objections».