Noarni, Turin, Lecce, Casal di Principe, Grottaferrata: these are the stages of the journey undertaken by Celeste Constantinevice president of One Hundred Thousand Foundation as well as founder of the anti-mafia association fromSouth, to tell about the anti-violence centers that also deal with mafia and violence.
The podcast “Us, them and the others – Stories of anti-violence and anti-mafia centers”
The mapping of stories, people and places is contained in the podcasts”Us, them and the others – Stories of anti-violence and anti-mafia centers”, produced by daSud Media Civicowhich includes six episodes, one per month.
«The idea of this podcast was born from research that, starting from my city of origin Reggio Calabria, I have been carrying out for over 20 years on analogies that characterize gender violence and mafia violence. I aim to raise awareness of the silent and extraordinary work that anti-violence centers carry out on our territory, the symbolic value they also have in relation to the fight against organized crime” declares Costantino.
The analogies between gender violence and organized crime violence
The cultural dimension, impunity and silence are the main points in common between the two forms of violence. «Both phenomena – as highlighted – unfortunately enjoy a very solid patriarchal structure in society. The pervasiveness of the mafia is normalized, sometimes even if we consider it wrong we get used to living with it. Just as happens with gender violence. Both types of violence are often not easily demonstrable. And sometimes, out of fear or indifference, we turn the other way.”
Safe spaces in which to emancipate oneself from the condition of subordination
From here, it was realized in the author the desire to talk about safe spaces in which women can try to emancipate themselves from their condition of subordination, avoiding the tragic end of feminicide. As happened to Barbara Corvi, 35 year old disappeared in 2009 and never found againwho was killed because she had a relationship with a man close to the ‘Ndrangheta.
The first episode of the podcast is dedicated to his story (available on www.dasud.itfirst civic anti-mafia media), ““Where is Barbara”, in which Teresa Di Lernia, president of Amelia Women’s Forum who, in Umbria, manages the anti-violence center dedicated to her, talks about the struggle of keeping that memory alive.
Anti-violence centers named after women victims of gender and mafia violence
«Decide to naming an anti-violence center after women victims of gender and mafia violence is a very powerful anti-mafia action. In the case of Barbara Corvi, the ‘ndrangheta did not even return her body, but there is a place that, on a daily basis, not only remembers her, but also claims her” explains Costantino.
Even the anti-violence centers that arise within the confiscated assets represent another significant example of resistance and fight against the mafia. As the author recalls, «the men of the mafia already can’t stand the fact that someone occupies their buildings, let alone if they carry out paths within them that destabilize their patriarchal model. These anti-violence centers are a setback for the mafias who, in repressed areas of the country, continue to play the anti-state welfare role.”
Cultural message of eradication of mafia abuse
In this way, these facilities, through their presence in the area, are able to fulfill a function not only of safeguarding women, but also of cultural message of eradication of archaic forms and wrong, linked to the nature of the mafia phenomenon.
«Within the walls of these anti-violence centers, in addition to accompanying women on their path to escape from violence, we often have to face families who consider themselves masters not only of those women, but of entire territories” underlines the author of the podcast, focusing on the courage that distinguishes all the operators, despite the threats and intimidating acts they have suffered.
“We, them and the others” represents an important piece of the commitment to analysis, training and cultural struggle, always alongside women who try to escape from the shadows in which they are often relegated.
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