Watch: The SHE Word Explores Why Speaking Out On Violence Against Women Feels Risky For Men
A new episode of The SHE Word airs tonight, and this week host and founder Trudy Kerr sits down with three of Malta’s leading male voices for one of the show’s most direct and unfiltered conversations yet, tackling male violence, aggression and their impact on women.
Rather than framing the issue as a confrontation, the episode aims to break the silence by involving men directly in the discussion, exploring why so many women still carry the burden of navigating safety, harassment, assault and aggression on a daily basis.
In a candid clip shared ahead of the episode, guests Jon Mallia, Frank Zammit and Herman Grech speak openly about why men often find it harder to call out abusive behaviour, even when they strongly oppose it.
View this post on Instagram
At one point, Herman raises the question many avoid.
“What is so wrong in saying this is abuse and calling it out? Is it because all my friends will call me a pussy?”
Frank responds by admitting that many men instinctively find it easier to speak up about animal cruelty than gender based violence.
“If someone tells me we are doing this campaign against animal cruelty, easy yes. The second you tell me we are doing something about gender violence, I will still say yes, but I stop and think about it and say, okay, let us look at the optics of this. How do I fit into this It is mad when you think about it.”
Jon challenges him on what he feels he is risking, to which Frank admits even he is unsure, calling it an instinct more than a conscious decision.
Herman notes that public reaction plays a major role.
“Animal cruelty feels safe to speak about because the vast majority, ninety nine per cent, think it is really bad. The moment I have a story about cruelty, someone killing a cat for example, it gets five times the readership rather than a woman being abused. I am not joking, this is how bad the situation is.”
Tonight’s episode dives deeper into why men hesitate to intervene, what healthy masculinity actually looks like, and how the social landscape continues to pull young men in conflicting directions.
The conversation also explores the motivations of the minority of men who commit violence, the role of social media in fuelling anger, and the silent pressures men feel within their own circles.
With one in three women experiencing violence or assault, Trudy Kerr describes this episode as essential viewing for both men and women, aiming to understand the issue from both sides of the gender divide.
The episode airs tonight at 7pm.
What do you make of this discussion?
READ NEXT: Watch: CPD Confirms Marsa Industrial Fire Contained As Crews Remain On Site
