Don’t Think of an Elephant
The number of crimes is decreasing in Italy. From 1st of August 2017 to 31st of July 2018 there was a decline of 9.5% compared to the previous twelve months. Nevertheless, one Italian out of four is afraid to be alone on the street in the evening and one in ten is terrified of staying home alone… This photographic research aims to investigate why Italy is so scared (what they need to feel safer) and how people react to this fear (what they want to feel safer). The opportunity to approach the topic is the forthcoming discussion in the Italian Lower Chamber about the proposal to change article 52 of the Italian Penal Code. The new law would introduce the “presumption of legitimate defense” which is partially inspired by the USA “Castle Doctrine”. Its mission is to create an irrebuttable presumption that an individual who kills or harms another within his or her private property has acted in self-defense and cannot be prosecuted. According to Giorgio Beretta, an analyst of OPAL, this new law will bring many Italians to arm themselves. If, on one hand, economic interests of arms factories can influence political programs and public debate, on the other it seems that the Italian justice system has a crucial role if we want to understand the reasons why the perception of insecurity is nowadays so widespread. Italians tend to react to this frustration by focusing on the idea of private justice and self-defense and the political answer in changing the article 52 indulges to this trend. According to CENSIS, a third of the population in the last 2 years has renounced to undertake a judicial action because they think Italian justice is unable to guarantee the protection of rights. Could this need for justice be addressed differently? If the political reaction was focused on the solution of justice inefficiency, would Italian want to arm themselves? A country in which people can rely on the judicial system is a country with less thirst for revenge and private justice?
About Diambra Mariani
Born in Verona, Italy, in 1982, she graduated in Law at Statale University of Milan and in Venice with a Master in Photography and Digital Imaging. In 2011 she joined Prospekt Agency, Milan. Her pictures were exhibited in Italy and abroad and published, among others, on The Sunday Times Magazine, Liberation, MarieClaire, D La Repubblica delle Donne, Internazionale, L’Espresso, Brand Eins, Vanity Fair, Corriere della Sera, Sportweek. Her work has also been featured on several online magazines, such as GUP magazine, Phases Magazine, P3, Art Photo Index, Feature Shoot, Revista OLD, Die Nacht, Lens Culture, F Stop, 7.7, Piel de Foto, Kittykiwi, Fotografia Femminile. 2017, Streamers/Celeste Network, finalist 2016, FotoFest Porto Alegre, selected 2015, GUP#47, shortlisted 2015 Angkor Photo Festival, selected 2015 BIPA Award, finalist 2015, Fotonoviembre, selected 2015, ND Award, honorable mention 2015 KUALA LUMPUR International Photo Award, finalist 2014 Fondacio Vila Casas Photography Prize, finalist 2013 Descubrimientos Photo Espana, selected 2012 Arles Le nuit de l’Année, selected 2011, Giovanni Tabò/Fotoleggendo, honorable mention 2010 Inail/Prospekt Award, first prize
Website: diambramariani.it
