Italian men and women are groping themselves on TikTok in protest of a judge’s ruling that any unwanted touching for less than 10 seconds is not a crime.
The controversial ruling was part of a sexual assault case in which a man, who admitted to groping a young schoolgirl, claiming it to be a “joke,” was acquitted. The decision has sparked outrage all over social media with thousands of men and women sharing unsettling clips of groping their bodies.
Prominent Italian influencer and actor, Paolo Camilli, known for his role in The White Lotus, was among the first to post a 10-second video as part of the protest.
Many other TikTokers followed suit, expressing their disdain for the ruling and emphasizing that no one has the right to touch another person without consent, regardless of the duration.
Users have been sharing videos in which they maintain a serious expression while groping their breasts and chests, with a visible timer counting down from 10 seconds.
Some videos show continuous caressing for nine seconds, followed by a mock request for the groper to stop before it becomes assault, or a sarcastic laugh acknowledging that it was supposedly just a joke.
These videos, often accompanied by hashtags such as #10secondi or “palpata breve” (Italian for “a brief groping”), aim to highlight the unsettling length of 10 seconds, particularly in the context of sexual assault.
The protest emerged following the ruling in the case of Antonio Avola, a 66-year-old caretaker at a Rome high school. Avola had confessed to groping a 17-year-old female student in a school stairwell, pulling down her pants, and touching her buttocks and underwear. When confronted, he dismissed his actions as a joke.
Despite the public prosecutor’s request for a nearly four-year prison sentence and a sexual assault conviction, the judge ruled in favor of Avola, arguing that the brief duration of the groping did not constitute a crime.
The victim at the center of the case expressed her deep disappointment with the judge’s decision. She highlighted the traumatic experience she endured, emphasizing that the incident was not a joke, and called attention to the profound impact even a few seconds of unwanted touching can have on a person.
