A reflection of society without common denominators

The conference, organised by the Ticino Observatory on Organised Crime (O-TiCO), brought together a diverse panel of speakers. These included Alessandra Cerreti, a Public Prosecutor from the Anti-Mafia District Directorate in Milan, Ombretta Ingrascì, a researcher in Economic Sociology from the University of Milan, and Alessia Truzzolillo, a journalist for LaC News24 and Ansa correspondent. The encounter was introduced by Annamaria Astrologo, a Full Professor at USI Law Institute and academic head of O-TiCO, and moderated by Francesco Lepori, RSI journalist and O-TiCO operations manager.

As highlighted at the event's launch, women have always been a part of organised crime, yet this aspect is often overlooked. Many women have fallen victim to criminal organisations. Just as many women, conversely, have played an active role in supporting the gangs. The conference "La mafia declinata al femminile" aimed to raise awareness of these issues, looking for a possible common thread in the varied world of women criminals and asking whether the change - even recent - in the role of women in society also applies to organised crime.

The event opened with a keynote by Public Prosecutor Alessandra Cerreti, who provided food for thought and an insight into her practical experiences. "The activities within mafia organisations are closely linked to the society in which they operate. To understand criminal society, one must consider the distribution of power in civil society. The role of women in the mafia world is complex and varies significantly. For example, the three main mafia organisations in Italy (Cosa Nostra, Camorra, and 'Ndrangheta) have structural differences. The Camorra is known for being relatively progressive, as it allows women to hold leadership positions. On the other hand, the 'Ndrangheta, with its strong family structure, has historically been male chauvinistic. Until around 2010, it was widely believed that women could not have any role within the "cosca" except as sisters of omerta and were not associated with it. This does not change the fact that women are still kept under strict control. However, it's important to emphasise that there is no difference between an abusive gangster and an abusive male partner or stalker. The Mafia reflects societal and cultural elements, and these are intertwined with mafia elements."

Moving from the practical to the theoretical level, researcher Ombretta Ingrascì laid out the "three models of female agency in the mafia" that she developed. The first of these three is the conforming agency model, which sees women "conforming to pre-established roles and tasks, such as marrying the boss of another "cosca". These women are part of the system and align themselves with it, or in other cases suffer it." The second model is that of complicit agency, in which case "women play an active role, both in the private sphere (as educators of mafia values) and in the criminal sphere, where they are involved in criminal activities (drug trafficking, extortion, etc.). There are also many cases of women taking on top roles and gaining command of the cosca. In this model, it is possible to speak of pseudo-emancipation, as these women seem to gain freedom in the cosca. Still, almost nothing changes." The real process of emancipation occurs in the third model, where we speak of transformative agency. It concerns "all women who decided to collaborate with justice or somehow break the mafia chains. In this model, the emancipation process is realised as women bring about real change for themselves and their communities. It represents genuine liberation from the criminal system."

Journalist Alessia Truzzolillo revisited some recent events in Calabria, such as the case of boss Nicolino Grande Aracri. He pretended to cooperate with justice but was instead discovered attempting to mitigate the position of his wife and daughter, who were implicated in the Farmabusiness case. "To save his wife and daughter, the boss denigrated them, telling the magistrates: 'My wife is not the sharpest tool in the shed; she wouldn't be capable of devising such a complex plan to get involved in large-scale drug distribution.' He did not succeed, and the two women were convicted of mafia association." The mentioned event is closely connected to another incident, where chaos erupted in the criminal world after news of an alleged collaboration between a well-known crime boss and the justice system emerged. A woman named Veneranda Verni emerged as a key figure during this tumultuous period. She declared, "We'll begin a brand new chapter," and successfully persuaded everyone to unite around her family. This incident highlighted the significant role played by women in the criminal world, especially during times when men were not in power.