Only a few days ago, the dark and bitter aspects of domestic violence were once again highlighted in the annual figures published by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The numbers revealed an unsavoury increase in the reported cases of domestic violence.
It is reported that from 2008 to last year the numbers had risen by 25 per cent (from 477 to 602). The ministry was quick to point out that the increase was not necessarily an indication of a rise in domestic abuse. It suggested that this could simply mean more awareness, which, in turn, led to the dramatic increase. This, along with a number of other factors, both legislative and procedural, could also have contributed to this rise. Sadly, the figures in themselves tell us precious little about the real drama that happens within the private lives of so many individuals.
Domestic violence was and will probably remain too complex an issue to be ever fully understood. It is not distinctive to any culture and affects people across society, irrespective of economic status and gender. Evidently, combating this crime through a "one-size-fits-all" policy would not be logical. This would simply paint a stereotypical picture that barely scratches the terrible reality of intimate violence. The perpetrators of this violence know few boundaries because the abuse affects children, adults and even the elderly. Domestic violence shatters the rights of living in safety and security even within one's home. It destroys the nature of relationships, degrades the dignity and respect of the individual and leads to a dysfunctional family life.
For a very long time, domestic abuse had been treated with a dose of cynicism. The courts and the police viewed domestic abuse more as a misdemeanour than an actual crime. Sadly, it is only when this behaviour leads to tragedy that many fully comprehend the implications of domestic violence. In the last 30-odd years, such a mentality has thankfully steadily changed. Not only is there increased awareness but a legislative framework has gradually been built and a whole network of services has been constructed around this set of rules. These services not only provide relative protection but also seek to root out the cause of this abuse, addressing legal and criminal issues and empowering the victims of these crimes.
The players are manifold. The government, with its social services agencies like Appoġġ, and the police remain the bulwark in the fight against domestic violence. The Church and other NGOs offer valuable and priceless services such as shelter, counselling and therapy. The work of Dar Meħba Bik, Dar Qalb ta' Ġesù, Għabex and Dar Tereża Spinelli should be noted. The latter providers should never be underestimated as their work is indispensable, going beyond the system and improving the human face that is so needed in such circumstances. Yet, I believe that in developing these services more is required to improve organisational cohesiveness and closer collaboration.
Clearly, as highlighted lately by Marceline Naudi, president of the Commission on Domestic Violence, empirical research and detailed facts relating to our particular phenomenon remain at best elusive.
What is the point of knowing the grouped figures of domestic abuse? Is the abuse perpetrated sexual, emotional, economic or physical? Is it true that the cases reported might be a fraction of the real abuse? Are there repeat offenders? Is there a social, economic or educational trend? The latest national figures clearly show that women and children are the main victims of domestic violence (actually, 90 per cent of the reported figures). At any rate, it is not simply a gender issue, and foreign research suggests that abusers are not exclusively male.
It is in the collation and through the interpretation of these data that social workers, the police and practitioners can have a clearer picture of the real situation surrounding domestic violence.
This same sentiment was echoed recently when the parliamentary Social Affairs Committee, addressing single-parent issues, reiterated the dearth of detailed data on the real state of the Maltese family.
Interpreting these data will be no mean feat. One understands it is an incremental process. Unfortunately, the Domestic Violence Commission had already indicated the need of effective data collection in its 2007 report. One suspects that restricted resources and tight budgets play an important role in all this.
Much has been done in the field thanks especially to some dedicated politicians and so many experts, workers and volunteers. With a strong dose of goodwill and a collective effort, this information will eventually be interpreted. It should help not only in raising more awareness but will also help target specific vulnerable groups. It will help the various services to network more effectively, reducing discrepancies and overlapping. Above all, it should help in mitigating as much as possible this despicable abuse.
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