Where do threatened women go if not the police?

Several years ago the Maltese were identified as the happiest people in the world. This sunny disposition was attributed primarily to our mild climate and blue skies but also to a strong underlying social and moral fabric. Yet, such a facade veils over a myriad of miseries that are similar to those that afflict people of colder dismal climates. For some, unhappiness is the result of threats and violence from ‘loved ones’, the nuances and emotions of which are hard to explain. My colleagues in the Women’s Study Group aptly described violence against women“as one of the effects of an imbalance of power between women and men in society that is reflected in intimate relationships.” We see it often enough; a relationship turns sour, love turns into hate, one man flips and one woman dies.

When this November, Malta marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, our government pledged commitment to continue providing good support services to victims.  For some years now, we have been in a state of bliss that was reinforced by reassurances that there is adequate support for women and that the system functioned. When a Eurobarometer survey revealed that 30% of the Maltese know at least one victim of domestic violence, I have heard oloquent individuals questioning the validity of the survey, which has also shown that 77% of the respondents perceived domestic violence to be widespread. “Surely not in Malta!” I have heard  people exclaim in disbelieve. Most of us thought this problem was being tackled; that victims had adequate assistance; that we can afford to merrily look the other way.

The fatal tragedy of two weeks ago has shaken us out of our reverie. State institutions and services miserably failed on 40 year old Christina Sammut, an energetic entrepreneurial mother who was shot dead in Mgarr by a disgruntled ex-boyfriend. It was soon established that she had sought police assistance on numerous occasions, including an instance where he had  allegedly threatened her with a knife. This chilling revelation was shocking to many of us; she could have been me, you or your daughter. The news was indeed a painful slap in the face to abuse victims who may now feel less motivated to face perpetrators.

Christina Sammut was not alone. Let us not forget other recent cases where the system failed victims of abuse. Only last year, Catherine Agius another 40 year-old mother, was stabbed and murdered by her estranged husband as she stepped out of a bus in Tarxien. Her sister later reported: “I could see that during their arguments he used to hit her... I could see bruises on her thighs, arms and face.”

This death closely followed another fatality where a man broke into a Cospicua home after he was told the relationship with his girlfriend was over. He attacked his ex-girlfriend and her mother with a knife. The mother, 61 year old  Therese Vella, was killed as she tried to protect her daughter and grandson. These were luckily saved by the victim’s son, a police sergeant, who happened to be at home when the attack occurred.

We must remember that the state has obligations that are now even recognized by the European Court of Human Rights, to which Malta is a signatory. Last year the Court found the government of Turkey guilty of failing to protect Nahide Opuz  and her mother against a violent ex-husband. After several reports to the police the mother was murdered. The Court applied the principle of the state's duty to protect the "right to life" of its citizens to a context of violence against women. It ruled that the Turkish state had failed miserably.

The message is clear. Governments are obliged to protect the "right to life" of women like Christina Sammut and Catherine Agius. And where else can they go for protection if not the police? Our police clearly need to reassess their procedures when victims present themselves to file a report.

The need to restore trust

Are such journalistic commentaries tantamount to “trials by the media’ and is reportage unfair towards the accused as they face trial? We are here definately not passing judgement on the men accused of these murders; it is up to the courts to decide. However, in a transparent democracy, the media have an obligation to alert us when state structures fail to protect victims. That is not trial by the media. Quite the opposite. The media would be failing us if they abdicated their responsibilities and remained silent.

One story that hit the headlines of some news outlets but not others, involved Vodafone that has strong clout over the information stream because of the sheer extent of its advertising campaigns. The company informed us that one of its employees was sacked and accused of foolishly revealing Christina Sammut’s itemised mobile phone bill to her former partner. Yes, the employee was sacked but we are still not reassured. We sign contracts with a company not with lone employees. In my view Vodafone is ultimately solely responsible for the protection of our privacy.

All mobile service providers need to acknowledge the public uproar that was stirred by Chrisitna Sammut’s case. Together with their regulatory body, i.e. the Communications Authority, they need to engage in a very serious and sincere damage control exercise in order to restore our trust. A little declaration of denial is not enough. People who carry a mobile phone now feel vulnerable; they are essentially suspicious that their freedom of movement could be tracked and their privacy and freedom of expression may be undermined.

Come and Join us for a silent protest in order to raise awareness about DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Date: Monday 27th December 2010 Time: 3pm Meeting Point: City Gate Valletta ...Dress Code: Black