MARCHESINI GROUP SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Fondazione Marchesini ACT and Marchesini Group Beauty division join forces for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, standing firm to say “NO” to every and any form of abuse against women. In this fifth edition of the of the national awareness-raising campaign #UnRossoAllaViolenza (#ARedCardForViolence), now a regular fixture on the international calendar, Fondazione Marchesini ACT and Marchesini Group Beauty division team up with WeWorld and Lega Serie A which next Friday, Saturday and Sunday will take to the pitch together in a bid to shine a light on a serious sociocultural problem that must be tackled every day, but which instead often remains hidden behind closed doors.

According to reports by ISTAT, during lockdown the number of requests for help made to 1522, the Italian emergency helpline for reporting violence and stalking, rose by 119%, reaching 130 calls a day. This year the situation deteriorated further, with calls to the helpline up 79.5% compared to last year.

In response to this, all games of the 14th First Leg Match Day of Serie A TIM 2021/2022 will embrace the colour red. Indeed, the symbol of the #UnRossoAllaViolenza campaign is a nod to the red card, showing solidarity with women who are victims of violence and calling for an end to the fear they live with on a daily basis.

Together with the players and referees of Serie A, everyone at Fondazione Marchesini ACT, Marchesini Group Beauty division and the entire Group will say a resounding NO to violence against women by drawing a lipstick mark on their face. A simple yet powerful message, conveyed through an object that has always been an expression of women’s freedom and empowerment.

Thanks to this smudge of lipstick - produced by Cosmatic, a company of Marchesini Group’s Beauty Division - the Group’s workforce will show their support for the initiative, also by sharing photos accompanied by the hashtag #UnRossoAllaViolenza.

“The #UnRossoAllaViolenza campaign forces us all to decide whose side we want to be on” stated Valentina Marchesini, President of Fondazione Marchesini ACT. “As a Foundation, we are asking all Marchesini Group employees to take a stand and say NO to all forms of violence. This is a sign of a community that is growing day by day, not just in its business activities but also in its attention to the world around us”.

That glaring red mark will therefore represent the Group’s commitment - not just for one day, but every day - to build a society based on greater respect and inclusivity, a society that protects women’s rights, leaving them free to choose without ever resorting to physical or psychological violence against them.