SIENA, Italy -- The nature of relationships between Italian men and American women is not listed as a lecture topic on a syllabus for any Italian Language Study Abroad class.
But many female students on the Dartmouth LSA here have found themselves wondering how to cope with a significant difference in attitudes toward gender relations.
Dartmouth women have tried to ignore whistles, stares, comments and endless invitations to bars, parties and even homes. And students say that what began as a trivial annoyance has become a constant offensive nuisance at times involving public pawing of their thighs and buttocks by strangers.
Julie Bowen '95 said she has had several experiences in which she was approached by Italian men. "Everywhere we go, we get whistles, stares, comments, etcetera. This is not to be taken as a compliment -- Italian men do it to everyone," she said.
The worldwide assumption is that treatment of foreign women is worse in southern Italy. But Siena, located in the north-central region of the country, is hardly free of perils for women.
Bowen said she was followed home one day by an Italian man in his mid-30s. The man quickened his pace to come up beside her, Bowen said, and walked with her for several minutes before making a suggestive comment.
Bowen said she responded with a look that said, "nice try buddy but leave me alone" and the man turned and fled in the opposite direction.
Not every would-be Romeo is so easily deterred, Bowen said. She said she was physically assaulted on a crowded bus one afternoon.
"I noticed two guys looking at each other and laughing, and I knew I should watch out," she said. "Not two minutes later, I felt a hand on my upper inner thigh. I elbowed the guy quickly and he removed it."
But the man continued to push himself closer to her, she said. She said the man put his hands on the overhead hand bars to be closer to hers even thought she attempted to move them away.
Michelle Seldin '95 was approached by a middle-aged man who repeatedly offered to buy her flowers, to take her to Rome and to his polo club. Seldin said the man grabbed her upper thigh beneath her skirt, and held his hand there for several minutes.
Courtney Murphy '95 said she had a similar experience on a bus in Rome. "The bus was crowded, so I feared stepping on people's feet or bumping into someone," she said. "At the same time a man behind me was rubbing against my buttocks, like I was this play object."
"I kept turning around and staring at him, but you are much less likely to make a complaint about being sexually harassed on a bus crowded with nuns and priests headed to the Vatican," Murphy said.
"The best thing to do is to walk with confidence, be aware, but keep to yourself," Bowen said.
Marinella Cavalli, an Italian woman hosting a Dartmouth student, said the behavior is not typical of all Italian men, and is more characteristic of younger men.
She also said this type of treatment is not normal between Italian men and Italian women. With foreign women the men know they can "get away with" such behavior, she said.
"There does seem to be an assumption that American females want to meet men and 'spend time' with them," Katy Hayes '94 said. According to Hayes, it is not unusual for Italian men of all ages to ask a woman out after having just met her.
Italian culture may also affect how foreign women are treated. "It is not abnormal to see topless women in advertisements -- on the streets, on television, in magazines -- in no way relating to the product," Bowen said.
Of course sexual harassment occurs everywhere and students said they found some aspects of Italian life quite appealing.
Duffy Ross '95 said she has found life within the Italian family is different, in that the Italian males are more polite, courteous and kind within the family, she said.
"We don't meet Italian men in a normal way, only on the streets," she said.
"Aggressive young men are everywhere," Bowen said. "At first this bothered me so much that I would be in a bad mood just thinking about having to walk somewhere. But after awhile I learned how to ignore it. Maybe I've just learned to close my ears in the street."
