Women in prison, May 14th out of the letter

“I am guilty of crimes…But I have always taken care of my children, sent them to school, kept them well… They do not consider us able to take care of our children just because we have acted outside the law. They want to take away our children who are the only hope for a different future.” These are the words of two inmates, one in the Pisa prison, the other in the Lecce prison (from the volume “Women’s Prison”, Edisi, 2020): the most consistent in communicating the meaning of the campaign of mothers abroad, from stigma and from imprisonment with their sons and daughters. It will be discussed today, in an open webinar, during the annual meeting of the Mind Society.

Let’s reconstruct the context from which the attack on mothers in prison began and the resulting response. Early elections prevented approval of the Cyane law proposal which expanded the possibility of alternative measures for mothers in prison with their children, and the establishment of sheltered family homes. A few weeks ago, the Chamber of Deputies resumed examining this motion (which Deborah Siracciani signed in this legislature), but unexpectedly the Brothers and the League introduced amendments that made the applicable law even worse. Therefore, Sirakiani chose to withdraw his proposal. Instead of contributing to how scandalous children who grew up in prison were left with their mothers, despite the fact that they were mostly convicted of minor crimes, Under Secretary Cirelli relaunched his legislative initiative (from the former legislature) to remove parental responsibility to convict women once and for all. They will be “unworthy mothers”, “rotten mothers”, that is the motive. In the meantime, let them stay in prison with their children.

The response to the ideological revival of the “bad mother”—based on the idea that a woman who committed a crime is “doubly guilty” because she betrayed her “mother’s mission” with the crime—was immediate.

And embodied in the attractiveness of mothers abroad. The appeal stated: “The attack on the rights of imprisoned mothers is directed at all women. In turn, it is the spearhead against the idea of ​​punishment aimed at social reintegration (according to the constitution); Ultimately, it is an attack on the idea of ​​an inclusive, tolerant, respectful and welcoming society.”
And the appeal launches a very symbolic initiative, in support of the female prisoners and their children, against the stigma of “double guilt”: dedicating the traditional Mother’s Day (May 14) to them, so that it is far from rhetoric, a day dedicated to women’s freedom, to the responsibility of all, to social solidarity. Parliamentarians, counsellors, regional advisors, sponsors of persons deprived of their liberty, volunteers and volunteers in prisons are invited to visit women prisoners on Mother’s Day, to discuss with them the “double” and unjust punishment, to give concrete testimony to the rejection of the stigma that affects them.

Today, at the aforementioned symposium, a preliminary assessment will be made of adhesion to the appeal: the National Volunteering Conference is particularly important, but also for local networks of volunteers, such as those of Milan, Brescia, Venice and Florence, promoters of “parenting services” to help prisoners maintain relationships with their children). A network will be set up to coordinate preparatory initiatives for Mother’s Day in prisons (see Turin on May 13 and Milan on May 15).

Let’s go back to the guest complaint. Let’s make sure their voices pass through the prison walls, with everyone and everyone in compliance.

For the program and the link to the webinar on Wednesday, April 26, at 5 p.m.: societadellaragione.it/associazione2023
To sign the appeal: societadellaragione.it/madrifuori