The acquittal and the rationale behind it sparked controversy throughout Italy.
According to the Milan Court of Appeal, “[The defendant] did not nullify any possible reaction of the injured party, it having continued for a time window – 0-30 seconds - which would have allowed her to get away.”
The alleged victim, an air hostess, had contacted the man, a trade unionist at Milan’s Malpensa airport, in 2018 over a trade-union dispute.
On June 24, the Milan appeals court cleared the man of sexual assault, upholding a first-instance verdict, stating that the hostess took too long to react to his alleged assault.
The man was first cleared of the alleged assault in 2020.
A women’s group assisting the alleged victim called the appeals sentence a “disgrace that takes us back 30 years” and said they would appeal to the supreme Court of Cassation.
ANSA
