A ‘Walk and Talk Against Domestic Violence’ took place last Sunday.

Participants wearing vests emblazoned with the name of the event walked from the Love Monument in Spinola Bay to a seafront café close to the Preluna Hotel on Tower Road in Sliema.

Upon arriving at the café, participants listened to speeches by experts on domestic violence and related issues.

Speakers included chair of the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations Renee Laiviera, family therapist and founding chair of the Institute of Family Therapy Charlie Azzopardi, chair of the Three Cities Foundation Flavia Zimmermann, Commissioner for Domestic Violence Joanna Xuereb, and a social worker from Appoġġ.

Some of the main issues covered by the experts were ways to tackle domestic violence and the programmes that exist in Malta to help victims.

They also stressed the need to broaden the definition of domestic violence to include psychological violence and violence against men, and for greater understanding of the consequences of domestic violence in society.

Ursula Cehner, one of the organisers, reminded those present about Amina Filali, a 16-year-old Moroccan girl who recently committed suicide after being forced to marry her rapist. This demonstrated that domestic violence is institutionalised in many parts of the world, she said.

The event ended with a performance by an immigrant from Sudan, who dedicated a song to the event and domestic violence victims.

The event was organised by the Siġġiewi Youth Initiative with the support and participation of the embassies of Ireland, the Netherlands and the US, as well as Farsons, Just Publications and The Smart Skin Clinic.