On 26 November 2025, alarm bells rang across Italy’s women’s rights community when the Senate postponed a crucial vote on a bill that would, for the first time in the country’s history, legally define sex without explicit consent as rape. The bill had already passed the lower house and was seen as the final step in ensuring that non-consensual sex , even without violence or coercion , qualifies for prosecution.
Under the proposed legislation, perpetrators could have faced sentences ranging from 6 to 12 years.
But at the last minute, the League party, part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, blocked the vote, citing concerns over how the law might treat “less serious” cases. For many women and survivors across Italy, the move felt like a betrayal , especially coming just a day after Parliament passed a historic femicide law.
Critics argue that the delay lays bare a deep contradiction: while Italy acknowledges and punishes gender-motivated killings, it still hesitates to recognise non-consensual sex as an outright crime.
Survivors’ groups reacted with anger and fear. One activist told the press that the postponement “sends a chilling message” , that consent may still be negotiable under the law, and that many women’s voices remain unheard. For many, the fight is no longer just about stricter punishments, but about dignity, autonomy, and the simple, fundamental right to say “No.”
