SBS Dateline | Berlusconi s Women

International Women's Day marked its 100th anniversary this week, but when it comes to Italy's record on women, there's little to celebrate, and many blame Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

He's standing trial next month for paying a 17-year-old girl for sex, and for abusing his power to get her released from custody. There have also been a string of sex scandals and sexist remarks and controversy over political appointments given to showgirls and beauty contestants.

And as a media mogul, 74-year-old Berlusconi has played a significant role in shaping popular culture, with Italian television serving up a diet of scantily-clad girls on entertainment shows.

Video journalist Amos Roberts meets campaigner Lorella Zanardo, who tells him it’s made the humiliation of women seem normal to young Italians, but Amos also finds women in politics and showbiz, who claim the Prime Minister is a champion of their rights.

WATCH - Dateline weighs up both sides of the debate in a special edition of the program hosted by Yalda Hakim from Rome.

DOCUMENTARY - Watch the documentary, Women's Bodies, from Amos's report in full, and find out more about the film.

PHOTO GALLERY - Read more about Berlusconi's colourful life and the accusations about his attitude towards women.

EXTRA - Italy was placed 74th in the world for its treatment of women in the Global Gender Gap report produced by the World Economic Forum last year. Click to read more.

BEHIND THE SCENES - Follow Yalda and the Dateline team filming this week's program in Rome.

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