When honor 'kills' more than violence, Lediona Braho for Politiko: Incest, a silent problem in Albanian society

By Kristina Tepexhiku

Incest in Albanian society remains a dark taboo about which society chooses to remain silent. Within the walls of the home, where the child feels safest, the most horrific abuses often occur, which the victims cannot scream about and the family chooses to keep silent. Shame, fear of judgment, lack of trust in institutions and a number of other factors encourage incest not to be reported.

The most recent case is that of a 12-year-old girl from Patos. The minor was sexually abused for 7 years by her father. A case of incest that shocked public opinion.

Lediona Braho, a psychologist, in an interview with Politiko.al clearly describes the reality and factors that make incest a silent problem for Albanian society.

"The patriarchal structure and norms inherited across generations often mean that preserving "family honor" is prioritized over protecting the victim. Likewise, shame, fear of judgment, economic dependence of family members, lack of trust in institutions, institutional passivity, little or no education on rights, etc. can make it difficult to report violence in general and sexual violence in particular," Braho told Politiko.al.

Abuse causes profound consequences for victims, which negatively affect their ability to build healthy relationships in the future. For Politiko.al, Braho listed some of the consequences that abuse leaves on victims .

"The trauma of sexual abuse has a profound and long-lasting impact on the mental and emotional health of the victim. Feelings of shame, guilt, and fear are the main ones. The abused person may also develop anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, etc.

Self-confidence and the ability to trust and build healthy relationships are greatly affected.

"In the most severe forms of sexual violence, trauma can affect the individual's identity and mental development, especially if the victim is young and when the abuser is a caregiver figure ," said Lediona Braho.

Often, family members close to the abuser choose to deny or reject the truth. For some, preserving the family image is more important , as Lediona Braho has pointed out, but there are also other psychological and social factors that lie behind this rejection.

“Denial of the truth by family members can often be a form of psychological defense (an unconscious defense mechanism) that helps them avoid facing the painful reality. Denial protects against the emotional shock that occurs when a close family member is abusive.

"On the social side, for some families, preserving the public image is more important than the well-being of the victim. This is extremely harmful. Fear of exclusion, judgment by others or the destruction of the "family image" pushes many people to remain silent, especially in more closed societies," Braho told Politiko.al.

The lack of institutional involvement, community silence, or education in schools become obstacles to denouncing incest and raising awareness about how victims should act in the face of their abuser.

Lediona Braho emphasized that there must be cooperation, interaction between institutions , to protect victims of abuse.

“Institutions must have an active and coordinated role. At institutional levels, training of professionals should be carried out - police officers, psychologists and social workers, teachers, doctors, nurses, etc. Each professional must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to recognize the signs of abuse and violence, as well as to react quickly and safely to the victim.

Schools should promote human rights education and teach children how to protect their bodies, personal boundaries, and how to recognize and report inappropriate behavior to adults and authorities.

The community must play a role in promoting the rights and protection of children, as well as in punishing abusers. Speaking out and education help break the silence and normalize help-seeking.

"So, cooperation between all institutions and a well-coordinated system is necessary, which trusts the victim and acts for her protection ," Braho told Politiko.al.