On November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed, a commemoration established in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly. On this day, governments, international organizations, and NGOs are encouraged to raise public awareness about one of the most severe human rights violations.
The Chamber of Commerce Riviere di Liguria is committed to supporting this awareness initiative by highlighting key statistics to shed light on gender violence within its geographical area.
Data collected by the Ligurian Anti-Violence Centers in 2023 reveals that women who seek help generally have a medium to high level of education. However, 47% are unemployed, and over 50% of reports come from women aged 30 to 49, with a higher prevalence among those aged 40-49. The majority are Italian nationals, accounting for 76% of the total when including Italian women (65%) and those from other European countries.
Regarding the relationship between victim and perpetrator, in 49.4% of cases recorded by Ligurian Centers, the offender is the spouse or cohabitant. Another significant finding is the prolonged nature of the violence; the majority of victims report enduring violence for more than five years (35%), and many state that their children have witnessed the abuse.
In the first half of 2024, there were 85 calls to the public utility number 1522 in the province of Savona. This service, provided by the Department for Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, is designed to support and assist victims of gender violence and stalking. This figure represents 93% of the total recorded in 2023.
The Chamber of Commerce delivers a crucial message: employment can become a powerful tool against violence. Often, the lack of economic autonomy prevents women from finding the courage to leave a situation of domestic violence. This is consistently confirmed by statistical data: the female employment rate is significantly lower than that of males (56.5% compared to 76.0%, Italy 2023, Source Istat), despite women in Italy being more educated than men. In 2023, 68.0% of women aged 25-64 had at least a diploma or qualification (62.9% among men), and those with a tertiary degree reached 24.9% (18.3% among men). The same gap is evident at the territorial level: in the Savona area, the female employment rate is 61.1% compared to the male rate of 77.4%. Despite the educational advantage, this does not translate into a labor market advantage for women.
“Culture and integration into the workforce represent a powerful tool against the isolation that fosters the spread of violence against women,” comments Paola Freccero, a chamber council member representing the Crafts sector. “Developing awareness and respect for individuals are the cornerstones that should guide personal relationships both in the family and workplace. An inclusive society without discrimination promotes the growth of the social and economic fabric. Anything that facilitates women’s access to work, breaking down gender barriers, is a primary goal of public and private representative bodies in the economic sphere and beyond, and must be pursued with vigor and determination,” concludes Freccero.