Year XVI -Issue. 07 - 2000

Gabriella De Marco

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We know that in France a law has been approved that aims at preventing and repressing sects. What about Italy?

We are well behind with respect to France: in fact, our bill is currently the only one that has been introduced, and we hope the Chamber of Deputies rapidly examines it. While preparing it, we have make the most of the French experience, having examined the acts of the French parliamentary and ministerial committees that have been dealing with these phenomena for at least 10 years. But we have also examined some Italian cases, such as the above-mentioned 1998 report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and some cases of moral subjugation or circumvention of an incapable, such as the Braibanti and Verdiglione affairs, and the judicial story of "mother Ebe".

If the law is passed in Italy, too, will these pseudoreligious gurus, who take advantage of their followers' vulnerability, be subject to heavy sentences?

Sentences will be sure, rather than heavy, because today the instruments for fighting sects are more refined. In fact, this law does not reintroduce the offence for moral subjugation; instead it modifies the offence for circumvention by extending its scope to those people who are temporarily incapable due to their age or damaged physical or psychic conditions, also in case disability has been provoked with certain practices or substances; in this case, the acts realized to one's detriment and one's patrimony can be annulled and culprits are liable to punishment from 3 to 6 years. To support victims, the law introduced by us establishes that associations set up to protect people dignity and rights take part in trials, as it already happens in trials for rape.

What could be the measures to adopt in order to prevent this kind of mental manipulation?

As a preventive measure, our bill provides for the setting up of an observatory that gathers all information on these phenomena and dialogues with enquirers and magistrates. However, the best forms of prevention are young people education and information to citizens; and here we come back to the paramount importance of family and school. Also, one should not forget, in a traditionally and firmly Catholic nation like Italy, the importance of the Church role and its teaching. Coming back to the concepts expressed in our first answer, it is up to parents to contrast the youth bewilderment, and it lies with politicians and civil and moral institutions to fight the confusion of our society.

Mr Testa, we thank you for your helpfulness and we wish you a good work.