HOMICIDES WITHIN FAMILY, AS A SERIOUS CRIME THREATENING OUR FAMILIES, IN THE EYES OF YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY

Abstract

The long lasting transition period of the albanian society has affected all social institutions, facing them with a wide range of new-old social phenomena. Family, as one of the most important social institutions, nowadays, is being faced with a wide range of social issues, domestic violence as one of the most concerning between them. Figures show that there is a daunting rise in domestic violence cases from year to year. In this paper, our main focus relies on homicide crimes within family, as the most frightening end of domestic violence. The purpose of this paper is to explore young people’s thoughts on this concerning issue that is happening within our families. How do young people see this phenomenon? What could be, according to them, the causes that lead someone to the point of taking away a family member’s life? Why are women the main victims of such horrible crimes? To explore young people thoughts on this matter, 30 semi-structured interviews with students of the Faculty of Education, Aleksander Moisiu University, Durrës and Social Sciences Faculty, Tirana University, were conducted. From the interviews, it results that the main factors that contribute to the increase of homicide crimes within families are considered: Increased difficulties and uncertainties in coping with everydaylife; Lack of protective and punitive force of the law; Families no longer have the sanctity and the role it has had in the past; It seems that all family members are endangered by this crime, although figures indicate that women (in particular) are more at risk. Patriarchal mentality is thought to be one of the major factors contributing to this fact. From the interview results it turns out that: jealousy is the main cause that can spur a man to kill his wife, in the other hand, violence against her or her children can spur a wife to kill her husband. On the other hand, if a parent kills his child, he should be suffering from a mental problem.