He was a good person is an essay by Il Margine which deals with the delicate topic of gender violence by analyzing its complex dynamics through three different perspectives linked to the professional background of the authors: legal, sociological and psychological. Although they start from different points, the three perspectives have the objective of shedding light on individual and collective responsibilities linked to the phenomenon of gender violence in common.

« It was a match… who would have thought? He was a good person… »

Gender violence has too often been used as a tool to manage emotions and maintain power and control, and for this reason – once again – too often justified: men who beat, rape, mistreat their partners, colleagues, daughters and sisters are men like everyone else, inserted into the social context, hidden behind an apparent normality. Starting from these traits typically considered “characteristic of male identity”, the authors analyze the phenomenon in the context of a patriarchal culture that has always legitimized violent behavior, with the intention of helping readers to break existing stereotypes.

Recalling the case of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda – which he himself recounts in his memoir I Confess that I Lived – the authors analyze gender violence starting from a historical context distant from our contemporary one, but setting themselves the objective of promoting a significant change in today’s society.

In the essay the three authors ask themselves how to recognize violence before it manifests itself. To answer this complex question, the essay offers important stimuli to ensure that readers adopt a well-rounded perspective to address the problem of gender violence. One of the crucial aspects of the book is the importance of building a path together with the interlocutor, especially when she does not spontaneously access the services and consequently requires work centered on motivation and training.

Leaf through some pages translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product:

THE MARGIN

Il Margine is Erickson’s publication line dedicated to non-fiction and storytelling. Born from a community of intellectuals, activists and citizens who have published over 200 titles in 25 years (from philosophy to economics, from theology to ecology), it aims to open new horizons with unique, original, recognizable books. The Il Margine books aim to keep the desire to discover and the need to constantly train the critical spirit alive for participation in collective life.

THE AUTHORS

Emanuele Corn, graduated in Law and has a PhD in Criminal Law from the University of Salamanca, teaches Criminal Law and Gender Violence at the University of Antofagasta (Chile).

Leandro Malgesini, sociologist with a master’s degree in Social Research Methodology from the Complutense University of Madrid; he has been studying masculinity for several years.

Ivan Pezzotta, systemic oriented psychologist and psychotherapist trained in Italy and Spain. Masculinity and intervention with men who commit violence are among his areas of greatest interest.