The MeToo wave that started from Turin gives a glimpse of a new student movement on the horizon, ready to forcefully contest the entire Italian university system.
While the students of the subalpine university demonstrate and prepare for new mobilizations against harassment within the departments, the rector of the university, Stefano Geuna, announces a national meeting on the topic, which will take place right under the Mole, on March 20 .
Decision taken after also speaking with the University Minister Anna Maria Bernini.
Young people don't want to hear about "bad apples" or "individual cases".
For days now they have been denouncing gender violence, which sees not only female students as victims, but also teachers and researchers.
The latest initiative is by the Cambiare Rotta collective, which broke into the classrooms of Palazzo Nuovo, the historic seat of the humanities faculties, on the first day of lessons of the semester, interrupting lessons and inviting the other students to join for an assembly, which was held in the atrium.
The cases, they explained, are not just the most sensational ones being reported in the news, which involve a doctor-teacher arrested on charges of alleged sexual violence and a professor from the Philosophy department, suspended for a month for alleged harassment. verbal.
"We are not looking for a scapegoat, we criticize the entire university model, therefore also the rector", says Erica of Cambiare Rotta.
Stefano Geuna brought up, replies by announcing that the national table will be held for the day of Italian universities.
He proposed it to Minister Bernini and to the president of the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities, Giovanna Iannantuoni.
"It's time to act", says the rector of UniTo, adding that we don't take the "solicitations that come to us lightly. Aside from the news events which are very serious".
"Over the years we have received very few complaints - underlines Geuna - but it is probable that the data in our possession is underestimated and we must act on this".
Meanwhile, the students speak of fear of reporting and fear of retaliation.
Many teachers, however, support their fight.
"I am part of an institution which, if it becomes aware of an abuse, has the duty to intervene with transparency and building all the tools that prevent this system from being reproduced if it exists", comments Bruno Maida, professor of contemporary history and president of the UniTo Register commission.
Solidarity also came from the Conference of Democratic Women, the Democratic Party and the provincial federation of Young Democrats.
"The university - they highlight - is a place that is too precious and relevant for society as a whole and for this reason we cannot accept that it becomes unsafe, unfair and dangerous".
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