Wednesday, November 25, was International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

It’s an initiative that aims to raise awareness surrounding the physical and psychological violence that millions of women, all over the world, suffer in and outside of their homes.

In Italy, approximately one in three women has been a victim of gender-based violence.

On the eve of this day of activism and awareness drives, Detto Fatto, a program on the state broadcaster’s Rai 2 channel, decided that it would be a good idea to air a segment on how to look sexy while you shop.

According to The Guardian, the ‘tutorial’ was run by ballerina and pole dance teacher Emily Angelillo.

Unfortunately, there are no subtitles, but we’ll give you the gist of the show in a second.

The visuals at the 7:10 mark speak for themselves:

Right, on to what just happened there.

The segment began with Angelillo, dressed in leather mini-shorts and high heels, doing a dance before advising a young woman on how to wear heels.

She then demonstrated how high heels could be worn in places where they wouldn’t ordinarily be worn, such as at the supermarket.

Tips also included how to walk in an ‘alluring’ way while pushing a shopping trolley, how to reach for a bag of chips while suggestively raising a leg, and looking ‘sexy’ while picking something up from the floor.

Not only is this violently sexist, but it would also extend your shopping trip unnecessarily while you stand at a shelf in uncomfortable heels, picking things up and then dropping them on the floor so that you can retrieve them.

Predictably, women in Italy were outraged.

Some viewers were so shocked they initially thought the guide was a parody. Government ministers have demanded to know why it was shown on public television.

“For how long must we continue talking about women in a false, stereotypical way, with stiletto heels, sexy moves, always perfect, mermaids or witches?” Italy’s agricultural minister, Teresa Bellanova, wrote on Twitter.

Rai has cancelled Detto Fatto, and chief executive Fabrizio Salini has launched an investigation into the episode, saying that it had “nothing to do with the spirit of the public service and with the editorial line of Rai”.

The host, Bianca Guaccero, apologised.

It’s a little late for that.

[source:guardian]