In Memory of Paolo Seganti
Gay Help Line 800 713 713 It is dedicated to Paolo Seganti, the first victim of homophobia recognized by the Municipality of Rome and by a public institution in Italy.
On the night between July 10 and 11, 2005, Paolo Seganti was brutally killed for homophobia inside the Parco delle Valli, in Rome, in the Montesacro neighborhood.
An article in Repubblica describes the disappearance of the 38-year-old.
“He was massacred by two or more thugs. Perhaps a gang that targeted him because he was homosexual. This would explain the nineteen stab wounds, all to the buttocks, and the two deep cuts in his private parts. A clear reference to the victim's sexuality. A savage massacre carried out in multiple stages: kicks, punches, blows, and then that blow with the blade that severed his nose. The final insult.’
Thanks also to the support of Paolo Seganti's mother, Augusta, who was willing to speak out about the homophobic motive behind the crime, and of LGBT associations, particularly Arcigay Roma, Seganti's death became public knowledge, bringing the case to national attention.
A torchlight procession to the Capitoline Hill was held in memory of Seganti and to demand clarity on the murder.
It is dedicated to Seganti The plaque inside the garden at Parco delle Valli, the first Roman "monument" commemorating a victim of homophobia and the toll-free Gay Help Line 800 713 713.
