Based on the true story of Franca Viola who was kidnapped and raped by a former boyfriend in 1965. He had hoped to force her to marry him using the local Sicilian law of 'matrimonio riparatore', Article 544 of the Italian criminal code, where a rapist would be forgiven of his crime if he married his victim in an effort to restore her 'damaged' honour and that of her family.
She rejected him and proceeded to press criminal charges against her rapist and became the first woman to do so. She was also bucking tradition and in doing so, attracted worldwide attention and crowds flocked to debates about the trial, which was covered even by The New York Times. It also became a pivotal moment in Italy's history as Northern Italy was undergoing social and cultural change, but Southern Italy was still seen as out-of-step with progressive ideas of equality so Viola's trial was seen as a major social and cultural event.
Article 544 was only finally repealed in 1981.
She rejected him and proceeded to press criminal charges against her rapist and became the first woman to do so. She was also bucking tradition and in doing so, attracted worldwide attention and crowds flocked to debates about the trial, which was covered even by The New York Times. It also became a pivotal moment in Italy's history as Northern Italy was undergoing social and cultural change, but Southern Italy was still seen as out-of-step with progressive ideas of equality so Viola's trial was seen as a major social and cultural event.
Article 544 was only finally repealed in 1981.