I survived an attempted femicide at the hands of the man who said he loved me more than anything: my husband.

I was 27 years old and had been married to him for three years. We had been separated for a year, but he hadn't accepted the separation, and legally, he was still my husband. On April 17th, 2011, he lured me to his house under the pretence of a document, but instead, he had premeditated my death in an atrocious way.
He threw flammable liquid on me and set me on fire. "Either with me or with no one", were the words he always said to me, but I thought they were just words. I underestimated the danger because I didn't recognize it, just like all the warning signs that I didn't know then and mistook for simple jealousy. In reality, they should have warned me, and I should have understood that it wasn't love but possession and control. Now I know, but the price I paid was extremely high. I have burns on 30% of my body, I am disfigured and disabled. What was done to me also rendered me 100% invalid, and I am no longer self-sufficient.
He, on the other hand, died of hypoxia in the hell he had created for me.
"He couldn't kill me, and I couldn't save him" this sentence summarizes the horror of what happened to me. But one thing he didn't take away from me: my smile.
I fought to keep my smile, and I managed to transform hatred and resentment into something positive to help myself and all the women who suffer violence. Thanks to the help of FARE X BENE ETS, I share my testimony in schools throughout Italy to raise awareness of the warning signs and ensure that no one else can repeat my mistakes of underestimation and can save themselves in time. I am very involved in social work, and my mission is to inform and raise awareness about the fight against gender-based violence among all those who want to listen to me.

I would like to live in a world where respect and self-love, and love for others, are fundamental values.
My rebirth was possible not only thanks to the medical team that saved me but especially thanks to the love and support of my family. Destiny, however, struck us once again, and in 2016, my sister Francesca was diagnosed with breast cancer. A very aggressive form, despite her young age. Fortunately, she prevailed and continues to hold my hand and inspire my rebirth with her strength and resilience.
Every day we support each other, finding an inexhaustible source of strength in our bond. I give voice to my message of prevention, while Francesca inspires those facing illness with the courage of her testimony. We are not just survivors; we are witnesses to the strength that every woman has within her, ready to emerge even in the darkest moments.

We decided to participate in this photographic exhibition to testify that we must never give up and to raise awareness among all people about these two very important issues that have united us even more: gender-based violence and the fight against breast cancer.

To demonstrate that you can survive despite everything, with a smile.