Mayor secures damages from online troll, funds to aid anti-violence centers

As the mayor of a community grappling with the pervasive issue of online harassment, I am taking a firm stand against the venom spewed by anonymous trolls. The recent settlement of 5,000 euros, secured through legal action against an individual who hurled vulgar insults at me on social media, is not just a personal victory; it is a crucial message to all those who hide behind fake profiles to spread hate.

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Who called me a p*****a on social media will eventually pay. In these days we have finalized the compensation of 5,000 euros for the first of many lawsuits against those who used violent and degrading words against me on social media. It's time to send a very clear message: those who spread hate on social media must be punished. Hate must be transformed into good.

This money will not line my pockets. Instead, it will be channeled to vital anti-violence centers, transforming the toxicity of online abuse into tangible support for women who are already victims of violence. This is about more than just one insult; it's about challenging the culture that normalizes verbal attacks against women, particularly those in public life. We women face a double standard, where our capabilities are questioned not based on our performance, but on our appearance or personal choices.

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I have decided that the sum paid by the first 'keyboard warrior' will be donated to the Mascherona anti-violence center, the Per Non Subire Violenza association, and Casa Pandora Margherita Ferro. The other sums, which I am sure will arrive, will be paid for similar purposes.

The digital space should not be a sanctuary for cowards to demean and silence women. While men might be called names like 'idiot' or 'bully,' women are often subjected to deeply personal and degrading insults that aim to strip them of their authority and credibility. This toxic mechanism, unfortunately perpetuated by both men and some women, seeks to diminish women's roles in society and force them into silence. My decision to pursue legal action and donate the settlement is a testament to the belief that we can, and must, react and report. The tangible results of these actions prove that change is possible, even when the violence is mediated through a screen.

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We cannot send the message that verbal violence against women is a social prank, because we women always suffer double violence: a woman's role is never contested, but how she dresses, how she appears, what her choices are in her private life. It is a way to continuously delegitimize us within society.