It is not a country for mothers and female prisoners

On parenting in particular, the public debate is always ready to give its opinion. We’ve seen it recently with the story of anonymous mothers, whose messages, addressed to children left (with one of the greatest gestures of love, I think, that can be done) to public care or to health and social workers, have become consumables of media and social media.

On the other hand, our canon on the issue of motherhood and especially the figure of “mother” shows clear dystonia. The legal model of the “good father of the family,” a standard by which the diligence required in the management of a series of legally related cases is assessed, does not conform to any female case, and indeed runs counter to the stereotype of the “bad mother” (differently, We could also say in a Lombrosian way, refused: prostitute, drug addict, prisoner …) until the introduction of pseudoscientific categories into the legal field (see, for all of them, “imaginary paternal alienation”, which punishes mothers by forcibly removing their children).

Instead, it is necessary to work towards crystallizing a cultural perspective that undermines the discourse of the bad mother, the other side of the father’s patriarchal icon.
Thus, in a country that has built the social and cultural myth of the mother, the discourse on deviating from this same paradigm has been strengthened and nurtured. Recent political reports have clearly demonstrated the ease with which public discourse and the grain of “bad mothers” are constructed in the case of imprisoned mothers.

Having aborted the amendments that distorted the meaning, the bill signed by Siracciani for the first time, aimed at expanding the creation of sheltered family homes where women with young children could carry out the sentence, and declarations related to the confiscation of the “patria bautista” (which no longer exists in Italy since The year 2013 … Ah, the continuation of desires), forgetting that the consequential punishment of suspension and deprivation of parental responsibility already exists in Italy and the bills that undermine the humane measures aimed at protecting maternity leave and introducing it into our criminal system through the fascist legislator … until reaching A masterpiece of discrimination and racism on a high level (as well as extreme bad faith and ignorance of the phenomena) that was rejecting the rules in favor of imprisoned mothers as laws in favor of Roma women who “use” pregnancy and children as tools to avoid execution of punishment.

Instead, to get acquainted with the life stories of mothers in prison, whether they live with their sons and daughters in foster care departments or in ICAM (Institutes in Reduced Custody, but still in Prisons), or the so-called “convicted children”, both Those who have sons and daughters outside (at their own risk and care), it is a fundamental cultural barrier.

That’s why “Mothers Abroad”. From disgrace and imprisonment, with their sons and daughters », promoted by La Società della Ragione societadellaragione.it/madrifuori) held meetings and discussions with women prisoners, which took place on May 14 in numerous prisons throughout Italy (among them Milan, Rome, Florence, Bergamo, Genoa, Reggio Emilia, Bologna and Trieste).
The campaign will continue in the coming months: it is a precious opportunity, primarily for political decision-makers, to hear and learn about the daily struggle of female prisoners to maintain their responsibilities, and to advocate for the uniqueness (and privacy) of their affection. To restore the dignity of one’s care.

Learn about the legislation.