Franca Viola is 78 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 9 January 1948.
Quick facts
Date of birth9 January 1948
Age78
NationalityItalian
BirthplaceAlcamo, Italy
Editor's Take:
Franca Viola changed Italian law by refusing what tradition demanded. In 1960s Sicily, a woman who had been abducted and assaulted was expected to marry her attacker to save her honour. She said no, and her family stood by her despite threats. The trial shocked the nation. Her courage helped end laws that let rapists escape punishment by marriage. She later lived a quiet life with her husband and children in Alcamo. A film, The Most Beautiful Wife, was based on her story.
Key Milestones
1965: Refuses to marry her abductor
1966: Her abductor is convicted
1981: Italy repeals the 'rehabilitating marriage' law
2014: Receives a state honour
Franca Viola (born 9 January 1948) is a Sicilian woman who became famous in the 1960s in Italy for refusing a "rehabilitating marriage" (Italian: matrimonio riparatore) with her rapist after being kidnapped, held hostage for over one week, and raped frequently.
Franca Viola's birthday is January 9. She was born on January 9, 1948 in Alcamo, Italy.
How old is Franca Viola?
Franca Viola is 78 years old, and turns 79 on her next birthday, January 9.
Who shares a birthday with Franca Viola?
Famous people who share Franca Viola's January 9 birthday include Richard Nixon, Simone de Beauvoir, Karel Čapek, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Husayn ibn Ali.
