Domestic violence by men against women, whether physical or psychological, is one of the gravest violations of human rights: the right to life and to physical and psychological integrity. Its consequences are devastating, resulting in mental and physical and psychological problems. It is widespread at all levels of society. Reluctance to report is still high as a result of fear, humiliation, worries about family breakup, holding on to the conviction of solving the problems and, not least, lack of financial independence.
Domestic violence is a criminal act in all forms of intimate relationships and not just in marriage. It is not a sickness although its incidence can be increased and aggravated as a result of abuse of alcohol intake and a number of mental health conditions. It affects not only the victims themselves but also other family members, especially children. Children who become witnesses of domestic violence are always victims of psychological violence too. However, awareness of children as indirect victims of domestic violence is still limited.
Although there have been situations of violence by women against men the highest rates (over 80 per cent) reveal that the perpetrators are men. Unfortunately, aggressive incidents of violence often resulting in brutal deaths as a result of domestic problems reported regularly in the local media are hardly linked to domestic violence.
The National Council of Women recognises the important work being done through shelters for victims and their families, especially in their efforts to assist victims to come out of the trauma and to reintegrate them in society.
However, the council believes that all legal aspects should be explored to strengthen legislation in areas where there are weaknesses, such as with regard to eviction of the perpetrator from the home and domestic violence on children as victims or witnesses.
Safeguarding children through children's rights legislation in Malta should be a priority.
The NCW supports the work being done by the National Commission on Domestic Violence and particularly welcomes its initiative to address this degrading phenomenon in an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach, focusing more on prevention and early detection as our council has been recommending for the past years. As a follow up, the NCW recommends a national action plan with specific objectives and targets for immediate implementation.
A successful integrated approach requires adequate and professional training in different sectors such as in the health services: professionals in hospital emergency department, primary care, in particular the general practitioner, pregnancy and childbirth services including gynaecologists, midwives, nurses who often are in a position to detect early signs of violence and who can provide victims with professional support to deal with their situation before the suffering and the violence get out of hand.
The role of the Health Promotion Department, education programmes on domestic violence in schools at all levels, addressing the issue of the increase of violence on TV/internet, addressing violence in relationships of teenagers/young couples, more media campaigns to educate the public as they too have an important role must also be incorporated in the action plan.
Training for members of the Police Force should be ongoing, with focus on dealing with cases of domestic violence as a criminal act and not simply as a family matter that can be patched up, in particular at the earliest stages of reporting.
There is the need to increase the number of professionals in Social Welfare Services with specialised and focused training when dealing with women victims, children, elderly victims or relatives. Currently, professionals who are interested in specialisation have to do so at their own expense.
Free legal aid is necessary in cases where victims are not economically independent by bringing together a team of legal advisers who will be remunerated by the state. This will also help to reduce the duration of court proceedings.
Shortening timeframes (unnecessary length of time is a risk factor to victims) between reporting to the police and the various phases of court proceedings (the need for stronger protective measures and sanctions) is also necessary. Decisions by the judge on the continuation of court proceedings need to be taken within a much shorter timeframe.
More consideration needs to be given in Family Court proceedings to the risks associated with domestic violence, in particular the high probability that the risk of violence will not end once the couple has separated.
Therefore, follow-up services after separation need to be provided. Measures should also include follow-up of victims in the workplace during this process and after.
Programmes addressing the needs of perpetrators of domestic violence need adequate human and financial resources and continuous research on best practice. The European Networking And Resources For The Work With Perpetrators Of Domestic Violence provides several resources for practitioners, researchers and decision makers in the area of work with perpetrators of domestic violence.
These resources have been developed by the European Daphne II Project Work With Perpetrators of Domestic Violence in Europe (WWP) to facilitate a European-wide exchange of approved methods in the work with male perpetrators of domestic violence and to initiate an on-going discussion about standards in this work throughout Europe.
Several activities of The European Focal Point For The Work With Perpetrators Of Domestic Violence were held in 2009. More information can be found on info@work-with-perpetrators.eu.
All this can only be effectively carried through a coordinated integrated approach. Raising awareness of domestic violence is not a one-day event sometime in November; it needs to be addressed through coordinated efforts on a daily basis.
Ms Attard is president of the National Council of Women.