Watch: Malta’s First 24-Hour Hub For Domestic Violence Victims Opens Its Doors In Santa Luċija
Malta’s first 24-hour hub for domestic violence and gender-based victims has opened its doors to the public in Santa Luċija.
The center will offer various support services and professional assistance from professionals, police officers, and trained workers in this field and from various entities to help and provide service and support to victims of domestic violence.
The establishment of this first hub followed the Police Force’s creation of the Gender-Based and Domestic ViolencThe establishment of this first hub followed the Police Force’s creation of the Gender-Based and Domestic Violence Unit within it back in November 2020
This unit consists of trained officers, along with other professionals who provide service to victims of domestic violence and gender-based violence, a government statement reads.
This hub offers a better and more humane environment than that provided at the Floriana Depot and is the first of its kind. The hub operates daily with a constant presence of the Police Force, risk assessors, and other professionals. While this hub is located in the southern part of the country, a second hub is expected to open in the north.
During a visit to the Santa Lučija center, the Minister for Home Affairs Byron Camilleri, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg were briefed on the procedures adopted in case of a domestic violence report, in the presence of Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà.
Activists and professionals involved in the sensitive sector were present.
“They could also see how the centre offers a much more suitable environment and strict privacy for victims, equipped with facilities where the victim can give their testimony away from the presence of the aggressor.”
Camilleri said that in the last three years, focused work has been done on victims of domestic violence, including tripling the human resources in the domestic violence and gender-based violence section of the Police Force and working with other stakeholders to open the first hub for victims of domestic violence.
Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg said that the problem of domestic violence requires collective action from various entities. She added that this hub is an example of the synergy between the Commissioner on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, the police, and the foundation for social welfare services, among others.
Apart from this new hub, victims of domestic violence can still also go to report to the domestic violence and gender-based violence section at the Police Headquarters. Here too, there are professionals and social workers working shoulder to shoulder with specially trained police in this area.
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