The Police Force will be training more officers on how to help victims of domestic violence and investigate their cases, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia pledged yesterday.
Police stations will also be better equipped so that victims can be interviewed privately and the police will have facilities to offer temporary shelter in extreme cases.
Dr Mallia was speaking at a conference marking Malta’s adoption of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on Violence on Women.
Domestic violence was a reality, he said, noting that this year 940 cases have already been reported. Over the past four years there were 4,102 cases. The figures had doubled from four years ago but it was not clear whether this reflected an increase in violence or if more people were resorting to reporting.
Together with Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli, he urged victims to come forward.
Ms Dalli underlined the importance of police work to counter domestic violence and urged more women to join the force since victims, often women, might find it easier to speak to female officers.
She added that domestic violence was a scourge which also affected the victims’ financial independence as they might lose their job after failing to turn up for work. The minister said that through the convention the government was now bound to implement measures and adopt legislation and policies to classify all forms of violence against women as a violation of human rights.
Stations will be better equipped so victims can be interviewed privately
The Istanbul Convention was signed in May, 2012, ratified last July and came into force yesterday in Malta and 13 other countries.
To come in line with the convention’s proposals, Malta has already introduced laws tackling female genital mutilation, forced marriages and forced sterilisation. An assessment of all other amendments is being carried out by an inter-ministerial committee, including gender experts and the Commission on Domestic Violence.
Meanwhile, this month the Commission on Domestic Violence will be launching an awareness campaign about domestic violence, which, Domestic Violence Commissioner Yana Micallef Stafrace added, was not exclusive to female victims. Dr Micallef Stafrace added that domestic violence also had devastating effects on children, as bystanders.
Force ‘not being undermined’
Placing the most senior police officers under temporary performance agreements did not undermine the police force, its independence, integrity and autonomy, according to Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia.
Dr Mallia said the measure was only being taken to ensure that the performance of the most senior officers was continuously assessed and that they continued to give the best of their abilities.
The measure was strongly criticised on Friday by the Malta Police Association, which said the move undermined police independence.
Acting Police Commissioner Ray Zammit said the move was aimed at maintaining standards and added that the issue was still under discussion.