Here’s A Rare Sight: A Maltese Politician Has Actually Stood Up For Pro-Choice Activists
Facebook comments hurling insults at and threatening pro-choice activists have drawn the ire of the parliamentary secretary for equality, who has warned commenters that they could even be breaking the law.
“As a woman, and as the parliamentary secretary for equality and reforms, I was shocked to see all the comments that are circulating on social media with regards activists in favour of women’s reproductive rights,” Rosianne Cutajar said. “I condemn them unreservedly.”
“Regardless of what opinions one might have, democratic society means that people should be allowed to expressed any informed opinions decently and with respect to people with different opinions.”
“While I appeal for maturity, I remind people that hate speech and threats are crimes because they have a detrimental effect on both the individual and on society.”
Taking to Facebook earlier this week, Aleksandar Dimitrijevic – the husband of one of the most vocal women’s rights and pro-choice activists on the island – shared a slew of horrific comments which he found online, mostly from pro-life Facebook groups.
These range from comments calling women in favour of abortion sluts to comments playing down the severity of rape by saying women who fear getting raped should take the pill or give their attacker a condom.
Some comments actually advocated the murder of pro-choice activists, with one suggesting they should “shoot these bitches in the head one by one facing each other”.
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