Fuitina
Encyclopedia
The Sicilian
term fuitina (literally: "little escape"; plural: "fuitine") refers to a practice that used to be common in Sicily
and other areas of Southern Italy
, whereby a young couple would flee from their families in order to get married despite any vetoes put forth by the families themselves. The intent is that the prolonged absence of the fugitive couple would let their families presume that sexual intercourse
had occurred, and thus force them to consent to a so-called "rehabilitating wedding
" ("matrimonio riparatore" in Italian
). "Fuitine" still occur today, but the practice is becoming less common due to changing social and cultural conditions. While escapes of young couples are reported to be widespread in places such as Palermo
(over 300 have been reported to occur each year), most of them only bear a surface relationship with traditional fuitine, as they are not necessarily aimed at a rehabilitating marriage.
In principle, the term "fuitina" only refers to the consensual escape of a couple of lovers, but the practice also lends itself to be appealed to in order to camouflage actual kidnapping
, and possibly rape
, of the bride-to-be. A prominent example is the 1966 trial for rape where the lawyer of the kidnapper and raper of Franca Viola
maintained that the woman had actually consented to a fuitina. The trial had a wide resonance in Italy as Franca Viola refused the "rehabilitating" marriage. The trial contributed to spread the awareness that, due to the existing social ties (and specifically, the widespread notion that a woman who lost her virginity
was not "worthy" to be married), women who suffered rape where often pressed to marry their rapists (especially, but not exclusively, if they got pregnant), otherwise they would lose their honour
and be marginalized by the society.
The Italian Code of Criminal Procedure
(art. 537) prosecutes the (consensual) fuitina if the bride-to-be is a minor
, equating it to the kidnapping of a consenting minor.
Sicilian language
Sicilian is a Romance language. Its dialects make up the Extreme-Southern Italian language group, which are spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands; in southern and central Calabria ; in the southern parts of Apulia, the Salento ; and Campania, on the Italian mainland, where it is...
term fuitina (literally: "little escape"; plural: "fuitine") refers to a practice that used to be common in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and other areas of Southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, whereby a young couple would flee from their families in order to get married despite any vetoes put forth by the families themselves. The intent is that the prolonged absence of the fugitive couple would let their families presume that sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
had occurred, and thus force them to consent to a so-called "rehabilitating wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
" ("matrimonio riparatore" in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
). "Fuitine" still occur today, but the practice is becoming less common due to changing social and cultural conditions. While escapes of young couples are reported to be widespread in places such as Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
(over 300 have been reported to occur each year), most of them only bear a surface relationship with traditional fuitine, as they are not necessarily aimed at a rehabilitating marriage.
In principle, the term "fuitina" only refers to the consensual escape of a couple of lovers, but the practice also lends itself to be appealed to in order to camouflage actual kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, and possibly rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, of the bride-to-be. A prominent example is the 1966 trial for rape where the lawyer of the kidnapper and raper of Franca Viola
Franca Viola
Franca Viola is a Sicilian woman that became famous in the 1960s in Italy for refusing a "rehabilitating wedding" after suffering kidnapping and rape. Instead, she and her family successfully appealed to the law to prosecute the rapists...
maintained that the woman had actually consented to a fuitina. The trial had a wide resonance in Italy as Franca Viola refused the "rehabilitating" marriage. The trial contributed to spread the awareness that, due to the existing social ties (and specifically, the widespread notion that a woman who lost her virginity
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
was not "worthy" to be married), women who suffered rape where often pressed to marry their rapists (especially, but not exclusively, if they got pregnant), otherwise they would lose their honour
Honour
Honour or honor is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body such as a family, school, regiment or nation...
and be marginalized by the society.
The Italian Code of Criminal Procedure
Italian Code of Criminal Procedure
The Italian Code of Criminal Procedure contains the rules governing criminal procedure in every court in Italy.The first and initial code in the Italian Republic was established by the Fascist Government in 1930 and was kept until 1988. This code adopted an inquisitorial system...
(art. 537) prosecutes the (consensual) fuitina if the bride-to-be is a minor
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
, equating it to the kidnapping of a consenting minor.