Overview

• Former Cisl trade unionist Raffaele Meola was accused in 2018 of sexually assaulting a hostess at Malpensa and initially acquitted on the grounds that the victim had 20–30 seconds to resist.
• On February 11, 2025, the Cassazione set aside the acquittal and mandated a fresh appellate hearing, with its full reasoning published on June 13.
• The Supreme Court emphasized that any delay in demonstrating dissent is irrelevant to the existence of sexual violence, overturning lower courts’ reliance on reaction time.
• In its judgment, the court referenced established jurisprudence and scientific studies on the ‘freezing’ response to trauma to explain why victims may be unable to react immediately.
• The decision follows criticism from prosecutors like Angelo Renna and advocacy group Differenza Donna and highlights persistent inconsistencies in lower-court rulings on sexual violence.