IKEA’s commitment from north to south

Over the past 10 years, IKEA Italy has supported the implementation of more than 50 projects dedicated to providing safe spaces for women in difficulty, helping them reclaim their freedom, always in collaboration with local associations across all regions of Italy. These include daytime anti-violence centers, safe residences for women and their children, protected-address apartments, and “Stanze Rosa”, which are interview rooms within police and Carabinieri stations designed to create a welcoming first point of contact for women who want to share and report their experiences.

In Lombardy, for example, IKEA supported Istituto Vittoria Razzetti Onlus by setting up a daytime reception center and furnishing homes that host mothers with children in Brescia. The institute is a historic reference point in the city, offering assistance to women and children who are victims of abuse and violence.

In Sicily, Le Onde Onlus, based in Palermo, provides support to women who have suffered various forms of violence and abuse. The collective offers reception spaces, psychological support, and legal advice. Thanks to the collaboration with IKEA Italy, the organization set up and furnished a daytime center to offer shelter for women in need.

In Lazio, IKEA has worked with Risorse Donna, an organization that provides support to women victims of abuse, violence, and discrimination, while promoting gender equality. In Cassino, Frosinone province, the association offers a reception facility furnished in collaboration with IKEA. Also in Lazio, Differenza Donna, an organization active for over thirty years in preventing and combating gender-based violence and stalking, provides anti-violence centers that offer help, support, and protection for those who have experienced violence or discrimination. IKEA contributed by furnishing apartments hosting women victims of violence, with or without children.

In collaboration with Differenza Donna, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, IKEA launched a new national communication campaign to raise awareness of the anti-violence and stalking helpline 1522.

“Starting from the premise that gender-based violence is not always visible or easily identifiable, we have invited people to recognize potential warning signs and seek support via 1522 to prevent escalation to more serious forms of abuse,” the website states.

IKEA and Differenza Donna selected some of these warning signs, so phrases of intimidation, devaluation, control, social isolation, and victim-blaming were displayed on IKEA’s iconic product tags. The aim is to send a clear message: recognizing violence is the first step in seeking help. The campaign runs year-round—not just during the last week of November—and is also visible in “no-sales areas” (areas dedicated to employees). The goal is to raise awareness among both customers and employees to never let their guard down.

The 1522 helpline welcomes and supports anyone experiencing, having experienced, or aware of a situation of gender-based violence or stalking. It assists women experiencing physical, psychological, economic, or digital violence, whether at home, work, or any public or private place. It also provides a safe space as a starting point for discussing what is happening.

Overall, IKEA confirms once again its commitment to the communities in which it operates, promoting concrete support actions for victims and disseminating essential information for prevention.