“If it’s my turn tomorrow, I want to be the last”. Exploring social work students’ perspectives on gender-based violence

Gender-based violence is a deeply entrenched and multifaceted phenomenon affecting individuals across nations, cultures, social classes, and gender identities. Globally, one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, and intimate partner violence affects approximately 30% of women aged 15 to 49 worldwide. This study explores how social work students at the University of Padua made sense of gender-based violence following the femicide of a young engineering student from the same university. Using a qualitative, workshop-based approach, 52 students anonymously shared reflections that expose the normalization and silencing of violence in everyday life. Fear emerged as a pervasive emotion, shaping their sense of safety in public, domestic, and relational settings. Students described direct and indirect abuse, including psychological and physical harm, as well as coping strategies rooted in guilt, silence, and mistrust toward institutional responses. Findings suggest the importance of integrating critical gender perspectives, emotional awareness, and institutional literacy into social work curricula, recognizing the connection between students’ personal experiences and their developing professional roles.