Many reported being harassed both by individuals and gangs of people while walking alone.

“I was walking in Gżira in broad daylight when a pervert approached me, made vulgar gestures and then exposed himself and started walking towards me. I ran to the main road and that’s when he stopped. I was scared to the core.”

“I was chased, raped, and threatened by different men I didn’t know. Pepper spray would have been less harmful than the keys I carried in my hand.”

“I was walking on a pavement in Ħamrun and this guy came up to me and pinched my breast and kept on going. I would have definitely used it [pepper spray] because running after him would have been pointless.”

“I was followed in St Julian’s. A man grabbed my hand and tried to take me. I ran into a pastizzi shop, and the owner kept me company until I felt safe to leave.”

Public transport

Incidents of sexual harassment on buses were disturbingly common.

“A man was masturbating on the bus and proceeded to follow me in an alleyway. Another instance was that I was groped while working alone and there was no one else.”

“I remember being about 14 years old, being on the bus and a man started to masturbate next to me,” a woman in her 20s said.

“A man sitting beside me while I was on the bus got a bit too friendly and started feeling himself. I couldn’t do anything and no one on that bus did anything,” another woman around the same age wrote.

“I was on the bus and a person tried to physically assault me during a trip to Valletta, I had told them to stop numerous times and even tried to move away, but unfortunately, this person did not let me. With pepper spray, I could have sprayed this person and tried to get off the bus immediately.”

“I was waiting for the bus in Valetta at about 9pm and a guy came close to me and started asking me for sex. I was alone, pulled out my phone and called my then boyfriend to stay on the line with me until the bus came.”

Sexual and physical abuse

Many of these harrowing experiences detailed sexual and/or physical abuse.

Another person in her 50s shared multiple experiences where she was sexually abused by men she knew, and others she didn’t.

“I was sexually abused as a teenager, more than once, by a man who was a relative and another who was considered family. I was also followed by an unknown man on the way home and sexually harassed. I was also once supposed to be given a lift from a friend’s house by her uncle but he refused to take me home and sexually harassed me instead.”

After experiencing 10 years of domestic violence, being followed and touched inappropriately even as a child, a respondent in her 40s is certain that pepper spray would adequately protect victims from violence.

“When I saw that Bernice was shot, I wondered if he could have been disabled/disarmed,” she reflected.

“I was locked in a balcony because I didn’t want to have sex with a person,” a woman in her 40s said.

But it’s not all about sexual harassment, with another person talking instead about self-defence.

“My father got attacked from behind with a metal rod a few weeks ago in Qawra. Pepper spray would have helped him fight off the attacker,” one respondent wrote.

One respondent – a man in his 50s – is a policeman who also agrees with legalising pepper spray. He explained that having used it in his professional duties, he knows it is effective and “doesn’t cause any harm”. He described it as a “good tool” for someone who needs to escape an assailant.

“Must be jet spray and not mist spray,” he clarified.

The case for regulation

Catrambone, a criminology graduate, also shared her own worrying story of suspected stalking to Lovin Malta. She noticed that she was being tailgated, her property was being damaged, and people were taking photos of her car. Catrambone emphasised that victims are often left to their own devices and because of this, they need self-protection.

However, as a weapon, pepper spray would need to be regulated.

Supporters of legalisation emphasised that pepper spray should be available for self-defence in life-threatening situations, with clear guidelines on when and where it can be used.

Some suggest restricting its sale to licensed firearm dealers, requiring buyers to undergo background checks, and implementing an age limit—most commonly set at 18 or 25. Others propose that only individuals with a clean police record or medical clearance confirming mental stability should be allowed to carry it.

Training on self-defence and responsible use is another frequently cited proposed requirement, with some respondents suggesting that buyers should sign an agreement acknowledging the legal consequences of misuse.

Regulation of the product itself is also a key consideration, with proposals to limit the strength and volume of spray canisters to prevent excessive harm. A few have even suggested adding a semi-permanent dye to the formula, allowing authorities to identify attackers more easily if the spray is used defensively. On the other hand, there are those who argue that existing items, such as hairspray, can serve a similar purpose without the need for legal changes.

Concerns over misuse remain central to the debate, with many insisting that harsh penalties—ranging from heavy fines to jail time—should be enforced for improper use. Some go as far as suggesting public shaming or deportation for offenders who use it to intimidate rather than defend.

Despite the divisions, the consensus remains that if pepper spray is to be legalised, it must come with stringent safeguards to ensure it remains a protective tool rather than a potential weapon for harm.

Government’s response

A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry told Lovin Malta that authorities are reviewing international legislation on pepper spray to assess new potential regulatory approaches.

While overall crime rates have declined, reported domestic violence cases have increased, largely due to greater awareness and the creation of the Gender-Based and Domestic Violence Unit, the spokesperson said.

“As a Ministry, we remain open to discussing any legally sound proposals that can have a positive impact. Our next steps include finalising and securing parliamentary approval for electronic tagging, as well as rolling out panic alarms—currently in the testing phase—to high-risk domestic violence victims.”

The bottom line

Violence, particularly gender-based violence, continues to be a pressing issue in Malta, with women falling victim not only to random attackers but also to those they trust.

With nearly 200 people advocating for the legalisation of pepper spray on our recent survey alone, the demand for stronger self-defence options is loud and clear. Whether or not the law changes, one thing is certain—the conversation around personal safety and the right to protection is far from over.

Do you think pepper spray should be legalised in Malta? Let us know in the comments below