Bonus Episode: Navigating misogyny and racism as an Albanian woman in Switzerland

BONUS Episode: In response to the current narratives about Albanian women and men in Switzerland, I teamed up with Swiss-Albanian feminists to create this bonus episode, delving deeper into the issues of gender-based violence beyond the attention-grabbing headlines.

Globally, one in three women will face gender-based violence, often from a partner, former partner, or family member.

In the context of migration, these experiences are frequently compounded by racism, as non-native cultures are often portrayed as inherently "violent". This narrative implies that gender-based violence is problem introduced by migrant communities. A similar pattern can be seen in Switzerland, where current discussions blending feminism with cultural racism often attribute violence against women to particular cultures in this case, targeting Albanian women and men.

These narratives often glorify "Western values" and co-opt the language of emancipation to fuel anti immigration sentiments. Migrant men are frequently depicted as inherently violent, while Albanian women are portrayed as either exotic and hypersexualised or as helpless victims.

However, it is essential to recognise that gender-based violence is as present in Swiss society as in any other. It is not limited to specific cultures but is a global issue that transcends borders. The focus should be on dismantling existing hierarchies of violence, rather than creating new ones, as we work towards its eradication.

Guests

Blertë Berisha, Executive Manager of the Umbrella Organisations of Women's Shelters in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

From a young age, Blertë became aware of the injustices around her. After Albanian was banned in Kosovo schools in the 1990s, her aunt and other teachers secretly taught children, and soon after, Blertë’s family sought refuge in Switzerland.

Growing up in Kosovo and Switzerland, resistance and protest shaped her thinking. Even in Switzerland, during the Kosovo conflict, she wasn’t allowed to speak Albanian at school.

As a young adult, Blertë worked in various jobs including cleaning apartments for affluent clients and providing care for the elderly in residential homes, while studying politics, ethnology, and history, eventually becoming a trained victim support specialist.

With years of experience in women’s shelters, she is the Executive Manager of the Umbrella Organisation of Women’s Shelters in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Dachorganisation der Frauenhäuser (DAO) addressing domestic and gender-based violence.

As a feminist and anti-racist advocate, Blertë uses an intersectional approach to dismantle patriarchal structures and tackle the root causes of discrimination and violence.

Arbnora Aliu, PhD candidate and Lecturer in Education at the University of Zurich

Arbnora was born and raised in Zürich. Her parents immigrated from Strugë, North Macedonia, and chose Switzerland as their second home.

She completed her Master’s degree in Education and is currently finishing her PhD at the University of Zurich. As a lecturer, she works at the University of Teacher Education at FHNW, with a focus on inclusion.

As one of three daughters, she was introduced to feminist topics early on by her parents and continued to engage with them by reading, discussing in her communities, and expressing her critical and reflective thoughts on the online magazine tsri.ch.