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The Language Of Femicide, When Euphemisms Are Not So Symbolic
In the wake of Giulia Cecchettin's death, our Naples-based Dottoré remembers one of her old patients, a victim of domestic abuse.
A mural of a woman's face in Naples
As Italy continues to follow the case of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin, murdered by her ex-boyfriend Filippo Turetta, language has surfaced as an essential tool in the fight against gender violence. Recently, Turetta's father spoke to the press and used a common Italian saying to try and explain his son's actions: "Gli è saltato un embolo", translating directly as "he got a blood clot" — meaning "it was a sudden flash of anger, he was not himself."
Maria was a victim of systemic violence from her husband.
Every time she came in for a visit and told me about the abuse, I tried to encourage her to report him. But then she would begin to find excuses for him.
The last time I saw her, she had a large bruise on her forehead.
She said to me, "Dottoré, he got a blood clot and rained blows on me."
The next day, Maria passed away.
An actual cerebral embolism led to the interruption of blood flow to a specific area of the brain.
But in the narrative of violence against women, this much-referenced medical condition has bizarre consequences: The man who experiences it always escapes unscathed, while the woman by their side almost always dies.
Learn more about Worldcrunch's exclusive Dottoré! series here.