Justice Minister Says Maltese Government ‘Committed’ To Strengthening Fight Against Domestic Violence And Thanks Activists For Protesting
The government is “committed” to the fight against domestic violence on the island as Malta comes to the terms with the fact that another mother, Chantelle Chetcuti, was murdered by someone who was meant to love her.
Yesterday’s renewed commitment comes as scores of people, women’s rights activists and domestic abuse survivors took to the streets to Valletta to draw attention to the ongoing problem in Maltese society.
“The government is committed to strengthening its fight against domestic violence. Since 2013 it has done a lot, but there’s still a lot more to be done with everyone’s help. Thank you to the organisations that protested yesterday that accepted the government’s invitation,” Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said.
Women’s rights organisations have now been invited to give in recommendations in two weeks’ time.
Following the meeting, a protest was held in front of Parliament, where activists made their points clear.
While activists accepted the government’s invitation for them to talk following Chantelle’s murder, they hoped that it wasn’t a waste of time, and that they would see some results from the meetings.
“Domestic violence is a daily reality for many many victims. Even for survivors who do get out of the relationship, they still face problems both related to poverty, going to court and housing for example,” the Chairperson for the Women’s Rights Foundation Andrea Dibben said during the protest.
“It’s good that there is goodwill here but it cannot happen just because there is a tragedy. It has to be something that is sustained on daily basis. When it comes to the implementation of policy many of things that are recommended are still not implemented,” she continued.
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