Policemen handling cases of domestic violence or rape often act as the investigator, social worker and psychologist combined because they do not have access to victim support services in the evening, according to Police Superintendent Paul Vassallo.

“The police have no support services after 5pm – these are conveniently packaged until 5pm,” he said, adding that officers manning police stations had to decide what to do with a victim while tackling other cases.

While police had no problem escorting a victim to a shelter or safe place, he said, the decision should not have to be made by them.

Mr Vassallo, who heads the Vice Squad, was venting his frustration during a seminar on rape where various speakers spoke about the need for a more sensitive and trained police force.

He said it was frustrating to see fingers pointed at the police, because they were doing their best. He said there were other departments where more sensitivity was needed, starting from lawyers and the judiciary.

He described the Family Court as a “market” where lawyers used reports of violence to obtain leverage in civil cases such as separations.

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20

The average number of rape cases reported to police each year

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The seminar, entitled Act Against Rape: Use the Istanbul Convention, was organised by the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations.

The Council of Europe convention deals with preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

So far, eight countries have ratified the convention, which means it is two ratifications away from becoming law.

Malta signed the convention but has not ratified it yet, explained Marceline Naudi, who represented Malta during negotiations at the Council of Europe.

The convention clearly defines rape as non-consensual and recognises different ways in which a victim could react under fear.

This means that a woman need not be beaten black and blue for rape to be proven as she might not fight back out of fear.

Lorraine Spiteri, from the women’s confederation, said Malta joined 33 countries that were yesterday holding seminars on rape – a form of under-reported abuse that often happened within marriage.

Human rights lawyer Therese Commodini Cachia said an average of 20 rape cases were reported to the police each year in Malta.

In 2006 there were 27 reported cases that dropped to 15 in 2012, suggesting either a decline in rapes or in reporting.

She said she was more inclined to believe it was the latter.

Marisa Russo, a social worker at the domestic violence unit of government support agency Appoġġ, said there were several reasons why women did not speak up immediately when they were raped.

Some felt ashamed and degraded, some did not realise they were victims of abuse, especially in cases when their abuser was their husband and they felt it was their duty to satisfy his sexual urges. Some mentioned the lack of privacy at police stations and the lack of policewomen.

Police Inspector Sylvana Briffa said police always tried to ensure victims were safe after filing a report and they worked with Appoġġ and NGO Victim Support Malta. Women officers were on call during all shifts.

Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli and Social Solidarity Minister Mari-Louise Coleiro Preca agreed there was under-reporting and supported the ratification of the convention.

Ms Coleiro Preca said that between 2001 and June 2013, not even one report of rape was registered at the domestic violence unit of Appoġġ – highlighting under-reporting.

Ms Dalli lamented a lack of statistics and stressed on the need for better coordination of services including those offered by NGOs.

She also spoke about the need to change the mentality that a rape victim was partly to blame for what happened.

During yesterday’s seminar many called for the setting up of a rape crisis intervention centre.

Roberta Lepre, representing Victim Support Malta and the Commission for Domestic Violence, said the commission had been suggesting this since 2009.

During this Budget, money was allocated to set up a sexual assault response team based at Mater Dei Hospital, she said.

Stories of women who faced abuse*

A woman was beaten by her husband until she lost consciousness.

She later opened up to her social worker and said she had been raped by her husband while unconscious.

Some women reported being sexually abused with objects.

One told social workers her husband made her have sex with other men in their own home while he watched.

Another woman said each time she told her abusive boyfriend she wanted to leave him, he made her take a pregnancy test in his presence.

*Recounted during the seminar by Ms Russo.