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‘Victim Blaming At Its Very Worst’: Malta’s Women’s Lobby Slams Police Officer Rape Ruling

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The Malta Women’s Lobby has expressed its shock at the manner in which a rape victim was “discredited and punished after she had the courage to come forward and report her aggressor”.

This comes after Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera cleared a former police officer of raping a female colleague at the Msida police station.

“This is nothing but a blow and an insult to all rape victims,” the Malta Women’s Lobby said, together with local organisations A4E (Association for Equality), Moviment Graffiti, Malta Girl Guides, Mediating Women, Balancing the Media, Women for Women Foundation (Malta), and the Women’s Rights Foundation. 

“According to media reports, Judge Scerri Herrera ruled that the ‘rape victim’s version was not credible’ and that ‘because there were no eyewitnesses, the alleged rape victim’s testimony could not be corroborated’,” it said.

“Should rape trauma experts have been consulted, perhaps they could have explained that research repeatedly shows that victims often make mistakes with regard to the timeline of events, precisely because such events are so traumatic.”

“Additionally, since when are eyewitnesses a requirement in proving cases of rape?”

“The fact that the perpetrator’s confession was ruled inadmissible because it was ‘not in the correct format according to law’ is laughable. What are we to understand from this, then? Were the officers who charged him incompetent in matters of the procedure?”

“Or, perhaps, was this a convenient ‘get out of jail’ card, played to manipulate the system? Either way, the conclusion is that there is no safe space in Malta, not even a police station, where victims are expected to file reports and seek protection.”

“And while we’re at it, harassment, by definition, is always intimidating, and when the harasser is a police officer, an official who took an oath and made a personal commitment to serve, respect and protect human dignity, and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons, then the crime is all the more serious.”

It continued to say how this judgement further confirms the deep-rooted, internalised misogyny that pervades our society, “where victim blaming is the norm, and rapists are let off with the bare minimum, if at all”.

“Regrettably, this is not an isolated case, but a symptom of the manner in which our institutions continue to fail women, whose reports are not taken seriously, who are judged because of how they look and what they wear, who they know, their relationships and a multitude of other double standards that do not apply to the rest of the population.”

“This mentality, which continues to infest our culture, is what leads to femicides, cases of domestic violence, harassment, and discrimination. Everything is linked.”

“Ultimately, women have been, and continue to be, let down by the institutions, who seem to champion conveniently flawed technicalities over empathy, expert counsel, and the protection of victims.”

“It is clear that the police and the courts have failed. It is evident that there is no real effort to address the deficit that is more than apparent in the system.”

It also said that law enforcement officials and members of the judiciary are in urgent need of training in handling such cases so that victims can be treated with the respect, empathy, and dignity that they deserve.

“Furthermore, in order to avoid any miscarriage of justice it is imperative that the Minister of Justice ensures that there are no discrepancies between the Maltese and English versions of the law on sexual harassment in Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta – Employment and Industrial Relations Act.”

Finally, the lobby demanded an immediate and thorough review of the police force, the judicial system, and other institutions.

“We are sick to our back teeth with systemic failures, flawed procedures, evident misogyny, victim blaming, blatant discrimination, lack of resources, and no accountability whatsoever.”

“The system is broken. We’re fed up with the rhetoric. It’s time for concrete action.”

Do you think women need to be more listened to in Malta? 

READ NEXT: Labour Women’s Forum Stands Up For Rosianne Cutajar, Warns She Was Targeted By ‘Misogynistic Attack’

Sasha is a writer, creator, and podcast host interested in environmental matters, humans, and art. Some know her as Sasha tas-Sigar. Inspired by nature and the changing world. Follow her on Instagram at @saaxhaa and send her your stories at [email protected]

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