[WATCH] Are you a victim of domestic violence? Here is how you can reach out to the police

Malta is, once again, reeling from another femicide after Nicolette Ghirxi, 48, became the latest domestic violence victim to die at the hands of her aggressor, an ex-partner.

The murder has questioned the preparedness of the country’s authorities in helping domestic violence victims from dying at the hands of their abuser.

MaltaToday visited the police’s domestic violence hub in Santa Luċija, where Superintendent Johann Joseph Fenech, who coordinates the hub explained how victims seeking help are handled.

Fenech explained that when a victim arrives at the hub, a checklist is used to assess the severity of the situation, allowing for triage to be conducted. This helps officers to rank cases according to severity, in a system which is very similar to the one used at the Mater Dei Hospital emergency ward.

Superintendent Johann Joseph Fenech (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

If the case is severe, the victim is taken in front of a police sergeant, where the official report is filed in order for the police investigation to start.

He said that in order for victims to unnecessarily recount the details of their abuse, risk assessors are present when the victim is filing the report.

“It means the victim does not have to re-live the trauma over and over,” he said. “We are always pro-victim, and so want to make their life as easy as possible. It is already a difficult situation for the victim to come and report someone they love, and so we want to make the process as easy as possible.”

When the report is filed, if the case is not as serious, the victim is sent home while the police investigate, but if further inquiries are needed, the victim is left at the hub, and the police carries any necessary work.

For victims of much more serious abuse like rape, the hub has a Victim Sensitive Room, where the environment is much more comfortable, serene and welcome, helping the victims to open up about their abuser.

Victim Sensitive Room (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

For victims of abuse who have no other option but to go the domestic violence hub with their children, the hub has a designated area where children can play and pass the time while their parent files the report and speaks to the police. The area is also monitored by CCTV to ensure they are safe.

The area where victims of domestic violence can leave their children while filing a report (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

The police superintendent said a new domestic violence hub with the same facilities is expected to open soon in Mtarfa, giving people living in the country’s northern region better access to the facilities.