“I was tired of covering my face to hide from the mafia,” Peira Aiello said about her experience in the Italian witness protection program. A recently-elected Parliament member, she comes from a more unique background than most: in the ‘90s, she testified against the mafia and had to be protected by the state for 28 years after. 

Aiello’s life changed at a young age when she got engaged to a boy named Nicolò. She noticed strange behavior from her future father-in-law, suspecting he was involved with the Italian mafia. When Aiello broke off the engagement, she was threatened by her father-in-law to follow through with it. Too scared of what would happen to her own family, she married. Both her father-in-law and husband would later get killed. 

Eventually, she decided enough was enough and testified against all parties involved. Over the years, she had witnessed gruesome crimes and wanted the violence in her family to end. 

An inspiring woman, Aiello is featured in the New York Times special section “Women and Leadership.” Determined to move forward from her traumatic past, she has joined the Italian parliament as a deputy for the anti-establishment Five-Star movement. 

She stood up against a very dangerous group, and the consequences were extreme. To avoid death, she had to erase her identity. But now, she has come back to fight and make her voice heard. Her story is empowering, as she was able to run a campaign without ever showing her face. She did not follow the norms for campaigning, yet she still won. 

Aiello wanted to get involved in politics because of how the mafia has evolved over the years. She stated, “Today, the various Mafias have modernized, and they reach far beyond Italy [and] across the world. There are much bigger economic interests at play.” By being a part of the Italian parliament, she seeks to campaign for the “100 people living under the Italian witness protection program (a community of 400 people if you count their families).” 

Currently, she hopes to pass a bill that is going to support children in the witness protection program in their studies and ensure they have a bright future. This was one of the main policies that helped her get elected. Her campaign revolved around the idea of ending corruption in the government and helping the innocent people who have been victims of the mafia’s cruelty. She centered her campaign on the common people, and she earned their trust.

In America, nothing like this could happen. Politicians are constantly in the public eye, and they are expected to have a crystal-clear record. If there is an opportunity to bring up a politician’s scandalous past, the media jumps for it. Especially when the politician is a woman. 

When Hilary Clinton was running for president in 2016, her emails attracted more controversy than they deserved. The FBI was investigating her actions as Secretary of State, as she was accused of mishandling sensitive government information. In the end, though, the director of the FBI cleared all accusations against her.

Her scandal was blown out of proportion, unlike those of her male counterpart. No one even cared when, referring to Mexico and its people, Trump said, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” He said outrageous things throughout his campaign, but they were easily dismissed. 

Women face greater inequality when it comes to politics. They are criticized more, and they are asked offensive questions that do not relate to politics such as about their hairstyles and clothing. In politics and everywhere else, society undermines women. 

Aiello breaks these barriers, using her background to help rather than hurt her election campaign. She is standing up against a corrupt system and trying to ensure no one will endure what she has. There is a lot to learn from Aiello’s story. It is a story of bravery. It shows girls across the world that oppression cannot stop us from fighting for justice.