Women’s Lobby Questions Authorities’ Inaction After Nicolette Ghirxi’s Alert On Wanted Perpetrator
The Malta Women’s Lobby has expressed deep concern and demanded immediate action following the publication of yesterday’s police report regarding the femicide of Nicolette Ghirxi.
In a statement, it explained how the situation exposed “evident critical failings in the protection of women in Malta, and yet the Police Board absolves its officers of any liability, while the rest of us are left wondering how, once again, no one is held accountable for the untimely death of another one of us”.
“This is not acceptable. If the authorities assert that they did not fail Ghirxi, despite her reports, then we must question the safety of every woman in this country – if current procedures remain unchanged and unchallenged, no woman can feel truly protected,” Malta’s Women’s Lobby said.
“We ask, if Ghirxi alerted the authorities that her perpetrator was arriving in Malta, why was no action taken when he was already on their wanted list?”
“The authorities’ failure to apprehend him, and their disregard for the clear and present danger the victim was facing, calls into question the effectiveness of the systems meant to protect victims.”
When focusing on the risk assessment related to this case, the lobby demanded that, from this point forward, any existing criminal records must inform risk assessments if the latter are to establish an accurate projection of the situation.
“In simpler terms, would the assessors at Appoġġ have discouraged Ghirxi from proceeding with a risk assessment had they been fully aware of the perpetrator’s criminal history?” it questioned.
“We believe that access to such crucial information could contribute towards preventing tragic outcomes and ensure more accurate and realistic decision-making in risk assessments. Which is also why we demand answers as to why the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is being prioritised over the safety and lives of women at risk. Bureaucratic barriers should never stand in the way of safeguarding lives.”
The Malta Women’s Lobby is therefore calling for urgent policy changes and legislative reforms to grant Appoġġ assessors and relevant authorities the necessary access to criminal records in cases involving domestic violence and other forms of abuse.
“Any more dragging of feet and blaming the “system” will only result in more victims and weak protection for the most vulnerable individuals.”
“It is only through such reforms and a genuine commitment to protect the lives of women at risk that we can prevent further tragedies.”
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