Sobering numbers behind domestic violence have emerged, with the police receiving 884 of such reports during the first eight months of 2019, that’s around four reports every single day.

The data, revealed by Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia during a parliamentary question, sheds some light on the pervasive issue in Malta.

The number has remained relatively the same when compared with 2018. However, the number of domestic violence cases has actually doubled from 2010 (659 cases) to 2018 (1341 cases).

While there have been occasional decreases, the number has increased by an average of just 10% per year over the last eight years.

The issue came to a head in September 2018 with the high-profile murder of a mother of five in 2018 resulting in a protest against femicide being held in Valletta.

The protest, which was attended by outgoing President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Deputy Speaker Claudette Buttigieg, was called over the perceived indifference in the country towards an epidemic of domestic abuse.

However, it appears that growing awareness, the introduction of robust laws and more visible support networks has yielded a result. Figures appear to indicate that more victims are reporting such cases, rather than the number of victims increasing.

What do you make of this statistic?

READ NEXT: A Sexual Assault Is Reported To Malta’s Police Every Three Days