Police arrested a man who accused his Pakistani wife of dressing in a style he thought was too Western and then chased her up the street, striking her with the wooden handle of a shovel.
The man, 37, reportedly assaulted his wife, 32, in their home in Grezzago, a town about 30 kilometres from Milan, on Thursday.
When she fled outside, he gave chase, hitting her on the arm with the wooden handle.
She found refuge in another home and police later arrested her husband.
He said he did not approve of her clothing and the fact she enjoyed going out with her friends.