Last month, actress and director Asia Argento voiced her disgust with criticism from the Italian public after she came forward with rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein. “Italy is far behind the rest of the world in its view of women,” she told the press of her native country.

50 years ago, Italy was rocked by one woman’s courageous efforts to challenge the country’s treatment of rape victims — the lessons of which are sadly still relevant.

In 1966, Franca Viola became the first Italian woman to take to court a cultural convention that would have her marry her rapist. With the eyes of a nation upon Viola, her statement to her rapist from the stand became a rallying cry for other women to follow suit.