Domestic Vioence Cases published in Albanian Newspapers!

Domestic violence in Albania is rampant. Almost every week, a woman will be killed by her husband, father or brother. It happens so often that even a gruesome crime scene will not grab the attention of the public anymore. The motivations behind the killings are a reflection of the Albanian patriarchal society where the woman is considered and treated as property. Domestic violence in Albania is a form of suppression that keeps women "in their place". Of course, such degree of violence varies from region to region. However, not a single woman in Albania escapes the suffocating patriarchal mentality of our society. It is present everywhere. The goal of my project is to keep track of all the cases of domestic violence that are published in the newspapers with the long term purpose of bringing more attention to this tragic reality of Albanian women.

The article below is taken from www.kohajone.com published on 12, 01, 2009. The highlighted portion says:

"Another event happened in Bathore, where Elisabeta Hasa hung herself because her husband abused her physically. Besnik Hasa (her husband) is in Jail now".

Very often, the Albanian newspapers, our politicians and perhaps the Albanian middle class attempt to portray the problem of domestic violence as one that occurs only in the poor rural families, mostly in the northern mountainous region of Albania. Such claim goes hand in hand with our prejudice. What is our prejudice? Our prejudice against northern Albanians is similar to that of racism in America. Like in America where some whites think that blacks are dumb, violent and deserve less, so do Albanians think of their northern brethren. According to some Albanians, northerners are "Malok". Malok is a derogatory term similar to that of "Nigger". A Malok is dumb, violent and is less deserving than the rest of non-Malok. It is considered a normal event when a Malok beats his wife or sister. It is not an attention grabber and usually the most one will say is: It is a malok thing." The truth is that a woman who gets physically abused by a Malok suffers in the same way like any other woman in Albania. To some, that woman probably deserved it!
Notice in the article below, that the writer makes sure to mention where the event occurred. The event occurred in Bathore. Bathore is a poor neighborhood of Tirana, mostly inhabited by "Maloks". As you will see in other articles, if the domestic violence event occurred within Tirana, the newsman will point to the place of birth of the victim or the abuser. This is a way of telling the reader: Those "Maloks" again. Somehow, it conveys the idea that domestic violence among "Malok" families is not an Albanian problem. It is only a malok problem. The truth is that domestic violence happens everywhere in Albania, geographically and socially. It is just a matter of exposure!

E Hene, 12 Janar 2009

TIRANE - Ndersa vrasja e ndodhur mbreme ne Durres, ka qene e fundit per ditet e para te janarit, ne Tirane, keto ngjarje kane sjelle, jo pak por gjashte viktima. Pese vrasje kane ndodhur vetem per me pak se 14 dite. Qe nga vrasja e Elton dhe Flutura Deliut, te ndodhur ne ditet e fundit te dhjetorit te 2008, ne kryeqytet dhe kater persona te tjere kane gjetur vdekje ne krime te ketij lloji. Dy vrasjet me te fundit u shenuan brenda 24 oreve. Petrit Pjetri u qellua nga pronari i kompleksit "Llanaj", ne Unazen e re, ku kishte hyre per te kryer grabitje. Ndersa, pak ore me pare, Viktor Prendi kishte qelluar per vdekje nenen e tij, Dile Prendi pas nje grindjeje per motive te dobeta. Djegia ne makinen e taksistit Ramazan Hyka, ishte nje tjeter krim qe ngriti ne kembe mbare policine. Ngjarja e radhes u shenua ne Bathore, kur Elisabeta Hasa u vetevar pasi i shoqi e keqtrajtonte dhe dhunonte fizikisht. Besnik Hasa ndodhet tashme ne qeli.