Protection for women who defy the Mafia is changing in Italy. Does it go far enough?
The article examines the personal and social challenges faced by women in Italy who testify against the Mafia. It highlights the long-term isolation and identity changes required for witness protection programs.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the human cost of anti-organized crime efforts and the evolution of state protection for vulnerable witnesses.
September 20 | Duration closed caption 6:30 35 years after Italy established its witness protection program, CBC’s Megan Williams explores the heavy personal toll endured by women who spoke out against the mafia — including investigative journalist Federica Angeli, who has lived under armed police guard for 13 years. Social Sharing "Take a map of Italy, tear Sicily from it and throw it away."
That was the advice the late anti-Mafia prosecutor Paolo Borsellino gave a young Piera Aiello in 1991, when she came to him to say she was ready to tell all about the Sicilian Mafia family she had married into.
Aiello's husband had been gunned down in front of her in the pizzeria they ran together. He was the abusive son of the local Mafia boss, and Aiello had been coerced into marrying him as a teen. Still, she wanted his killers caught.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in