Latest News ‘I was raped 15 months ago. I have yet to be questioned by police’ Oct 04 2021 admin Maria was raped as her daughters listened on… she opens up about her ordeal Some of the horrific injuries sustained by the raped woman. A woman who was brutally raped for almost an hour as her two daughters listened on,… Read More Malta Women's Lobby - MWLThe MWL is a full member of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) https://womenlobby.org Malta Women's Lobby - MWL Why do women and men take up platform work such as delivery or personal and home services? Is it really about flexibility or has flexibility become a cover story? Today, EIGE and Eurofound published a joint policy brief on the gender differences in motivation to engage in platform work. 👉 Find out more here: https://eige.europa.eu/news/platform-work-has-flexibility-become-cover-story View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL Malta Women's Lobby - MWL held its AGM in May during which the new Council for 2023-2024 was elected. View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL Malta Women's Lobby - MWL held its AGM in May during which the new Council for 2023-2024 was elected. 4 View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL Many recent headlines have hailed the imminent advent of a male contraceptive pill. So where is it, and how long until it will actually be available?Many recent headlines have hailed the imminent advent of a male contraceptive pill. So where is it, and how long until it will actually be available? View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL Just 13 UN member countries are currently led by women; in 9 of those 13, the current leader is the country’s first woman head of government.Just 13 UN member countries are currently led by women; in 9 of those 13, the current leader is the country’s first woman head of government. View on FacebookMalta Women's Lobby - MWL MALTA WOMEN’S LOBBY PRESS RELEASE | 21 MARCH 2023 _________________________ VICTIM BLAMING AT ITS VERY WORST The Malta Women’s Lobby, together with the undersigned organisations, is beyond shocked at the manner in which a rape victim has been discredited and punished, after she had the courage to come forward and report her aggressor. This is nothing but a blow and an insult to all rape victims. 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”. Should rape trauma experts have been consulted, perhaps they could have explained that research repeatedly shows that victims often make mistakes with regards 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 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. 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. No wonder 85% of sex offences go unreported. The overwhelming outcome of this judgement is that rape victims are not to be believed, reinforcing the fact that the system, ultimately, punishes the victim, whilst emboldening perpetrators to continue raping women, fearing no consequence. 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, that 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. Both 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 version in the law on sexual harassment in Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta - Employment and Industrial Relations Act. Finally, the MWL demands 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 of the rhetoric. It’s time for concrete action. SIGNATORIES: Malta Women’s Lobby A4E (Association for Equality) Moviment Graffiti Mediating Women, Balancing the Media Women for Women Foundation (Malta) Women’s Rights Foundation Malta Girl Guides FIDEM Foundation View on Facebook ● Majority of Maltese believe that prostitution should not be legalised or decriminalised ● Increase of sexual violence feared if prostitution is legalised ● Messagg biex il prostituzzjoni ma tkunx legalizzata newsroom promo ● Il maltin huma kontra l ftuh ghall prostituzzjoni jemmnu li din twassal ghal kriminalita organizzataTalk No 1 – Prostitution the Oldest Oppression – 14.4.2021Talk No 2 – Women’s Bodies: Objectification and Sexualisation – 20.4.2021Talk No 3 : Addressing the Myths about Prostitution – 27.4.2021Talk No 4 : The Nordic Model – Talk on Prostitution and Trafficking – 5.5.2021
‘I was raped 15 months ago. I have yet to be questioned by police’ Oct 04 2021 admin Maria was raped as her daughters listened on… she opens up about her ordeal Some of the horrific injuries sustained by the raped woman. A woman who was brutally raped for almost an hour as her two daughters listened on,… Read More