«Filippo Turetta asked for books». «He cried». «He’s wearing overalls». «He hasn’t eaten». «He asked to meet a priest». «He wants to study». «He takes anxiolytics». «He doesn’t speak much». «He said he was a little scared». «He has not met his parents». «He IS disoriented». «He spent the first night in the infirmary». «He doesn’t answer questions». This is some of the news from Saturday 25 November, the day in which, due to a cynical twist of fate in the hours in which the largest national demonstration against violence against women was taking place in Rome, Filippo Turetta arrived at the Montorio prison, near of Verona, we read and wrote in the newspapers. From Giulia Cecchettin, killed by her ex-boyfriend on the night of November 11th, the details on her passions and plans for the future have been diluted to leave room for the more detailed account of how she was killed, with how many stab wounds, in what way, how much she suffered, how in danger he had felt for a while. Because in fact, Giulia Cecchettin is no longer here. While Filippo Turetta is still alive.
Since 2017 there has been the Venice poster created by journalists for respect and gender equality in information. A handbook that focuses on «respect for ethics, no to sensationalism, morbid news reports, to divulging the details of violence, no to the use of misleading terms such as “love”, “raptus”, “jealousy” for crimes dictated by the desire for possession and annihilation”. But very often when faced with the narration of crimes such as feminicides there is the risk of placing too much attention on the story of those who killed, almost leading to empathizing with them, putting the victim and those left behind in the background.
What is the line between human curiosity and voyeurism? Between morbidity and the right to information? And what does the language we seek and use in these cases say about us? We asked the sociolinguist Vera Gheno.
Why are we faced with this type of narrative?
«It should be noted that there is a behavioral code relating to how to talk about feminicides, violence against women and also against minors which is the Venice Manifesto. So there would be a way to get correct information but I have the impression that in some cases this will is missing and in other cases there are interests that lead, from higher up, towards a romanticized narrative that could be used for clickbaiting. Therefore it is necessary to state that the means are there but they are not used.”
What need does the “romanticized narrative” respond to?
«The common denominator of the tone that I read in many news stories is that of seeking an explanation that allows us to carry out a so-called otherization of the murderer, that is, recognizing in some way that he is a subject external to our community either because he is incapable of understanding and wanting or because he was gripped by a fit, or in any case not capable of doing so rationally at that moment in which he acted. This need to narrate femicide in this way is also understandable from a human point of view because it is much easier to think “that’s not like us”, rather than thinking “in certain situations even I could find myself doing something like that”. Or to think that in any case it is something that can fall within the horizon of possibilities even of a subject who is easily part of society, therefore not a so-called “rotten apple”.
Where does this need come from?
«In my opinion, many of these justifications, such as finding a reason and saying “that ultimately she had left him”, etc., in my opinion all of this arises from the need to give ourselves rational explanations. Because simply accepting that there may be a systemic, structural problem which is that of the patriarchal vision of women as an object of possession, this is much more difficult. This is where all those reactions like #notallmen come from, the need to make distinctions because many people don’t even understand the difference between systemic and systematic.”
Let’s explain it.
«Systemic does not mean all men become femicides but it means that we recognize that there is a cultural substratum that also allows us to arrive at this extreme solution, fortunately, in the tragic nature of the matter, but not always. On the other hand, this desire to share, to humanize the murderer on the one hand and therefore to tell details of his life also faces the fact that unfortunately the victim no longer speaks, has nothing more to tell us while the person who remained in life yes. So a bit of curiosity regarding the person who remained alive and who committed the act is also quite human, as I understand the curiosity regarding the morbid details of death, because there is a voyeurism of the death of others which is quite human. I understand that this pornography of violence exists, which is pornography of death which as long as it doesn’t affect us personally we look at with a certain curiosity. I recognize it as a compulsion that is not necessarily positive but very human and we have to deal with it.”
What is wrong with this narrative then?
«I am more concerned that there is a failure, so to speak, of the mass media to deal with this morbidity. I understand people’s morbidity but I understand less that newspapers indulge in clickbaiting in this narrative, despite having the Venice card. So the focus is no longer on providing information but on making profit and I am very critical of this.”
There is the right to information.
«Yes, in my opinion information can be given objectively and completely without indulging in various types of pornography. I think that those who work with information simply cannot give in to people’s blackmail because otherwise we fall into a vicious circle. I still believe in the possibility of mass media that can be the watchdog of democracy but also show an ethical line.”
What do you think it is?
«The story of everything concerning the trial of Filippo Turetta is right but perhaps this is not the time to indulge too much in his human story. What does the fact that he asked for the Bible rather than something else add from the point of view of News or femicide? There is a risk of humanizing the murderer while the victim is almost no longer spoken about.”
How do you become more attentive to language?
«With training, education and highlighting the morbidity of certain narratives. We don’t necessarily have to be passive subjects in front of these narratives but we can also protest and this remains central for me. We need to do communication analysis and give people tools. It is not a simple complaint but giving the tools to understand and have more awareness of certain narratives.”
Source: Vanity Fair
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