Memory

The importance of carrying a life's story

One of FLARE's main aims is to bring together a network of victims and relatives of victims of organised crime from all over Europe. Keeping in mind that many times organised crime wears different masks and can be deeply linked with politics, institutions and have huge legal financial interests, the target of its victims is extremely wide: journalists, policemen, judges, prosecutors, immigrants, public employees, politicians or common citizens.

The need to investigate the world of organised crime’s victims arises from several needs:

First of all, FLARE deems that telling the story of a person with a name and a face is decisive in order to focus the attention on the fact that organised crime actually exists, violates human dignity and deeply influences normal people's lives, and therefore to arise awareness on the topic. For this purpose, people within the network can be included in events and projects, like seminars, demonstrations, cultural and artistic projects, both in theirs and in foreign countries.

Secondly, the creation of a network is aimed on one side at making people meet, share experiences and take comfort, and on the other side at investigating their particular needs: FLARE intends to be a structure able to offer concrete support to the victims, assisting them in case they need both medical, juridical or any other specific aid.

Finally, FLARE is studying national and international legislations concerning organised crime, in order to spot gaps to be filled and good practices to be spread and trying to get that governments approve legislations that recognize the status of the victims and protect them. Within the framework of institutional relations, FLARE pushes the European Parliament to declare the 21st of March as European Day in Memory of the Victims of Organised Crime.