Women suffering domestic abuse were often too terrified to speak up and seek help, fearing it would only serve to anger their aggressors, according to Elaine Compagno, coordinator of a victims’ support group.
Critical of what they saw as the courts’ leniency towards abusers, many also opted to suffer in silence, she added.
“Abuse victims often tell us they are disheartened by the judgmental attitudes and expressions in police stations as well as the inefficient systems and the leniency of the courts,” Ms Compagno said.
Two men were released on bail yesterday after being charged over unrelated incidents of domestic violence.
The arraignments took place the day after the murder of 33-year-old Eleanora Mangion Walker, whose lifeless body was found in a pool of blood in a disused Qormi warehouse.
Prime suspect Andrew Mangion, who is Ms Mangion Walker’s estranged husband, turned himself in yesterday.
Police Inspector Matthew Spagnol yesterday charged a 48-year-old man from Pembroke with causing his estranged wife to fear that violence would be used against her, threatening to kill her and relapsing.
Veronique Dalli, appearing parte civile for the victim, told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli that the accused had threatened to “rip her face to pieces”. He had also insisted with their 17-year-old daughter he would summon her as a witness, Dr Dalli continued.
Defence lawyer Michael Sciriha said the accused and the victim were nearing the final stages of their separation proceedings.
In a separate sitting, a 48-year-old man from Swieqi was charged with threatening to kill his wife, slightly injuring her, causing her to fear that violence would be used against her and assaulting her.
The accused and the victim were also undergoing separation proceedings.
Both men were granted bail and protection orders were issued in favour of their wives.
The perpetrator’s violence is excused when the police and the courts treat it lightly and when the courts and the media call it a ‘crime of passion’. There is no passion in such crimes, only evil
When cases of domestic abuse were treated lightly by the court, Ms Compagno, who runs domestic abuse victim support group Soar, said the abusers would only keep perpetrating violence.
“Many survivors who leave their homes and their relationships experience ongoing threats, stalking and continued control exerted by their former partner.
“The perpetrator’s violence is excused when the police and the courts treat it lightly and when the courts and the media call it a ‘crime of passion’.
“There is no passion in such crimes, only evil,” Ms Compagno said, reiterating her calls for the government to step up prevention, protection and prosecution measures.
Figures compiled by criminologist Saviour Formosa which were published recently show there were 6,918 cases of domestic violence in 2015. Of these, 4,081 resulted in the victims suffering slight bodily harm, while psychological harm was reported in 2,447 of the crimes.
According to family lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic, in the majority of such cases, women fear their situation will only get worse if they try to reach out for help, especially if their aggressor suspects they are seeking assistance.
“This fear needs to be addressed. Women must know that assistance is readily available,” she said, adding that she believed there was lack of awareness about the importance of speaking up.
“It’s very worrying that there are still plenty of women who are victims of domestic abuse but who, for some reason, feel they can do nothing about it,” Dr Dimitrijevic, from the Women’s Rights Foundation, told this newspaper yesterday.
She added that while Malta had ratified the Istanbul Convention – an international treaty on combating violence against women and domestic violence – in 2014, measures to implement it had yet to be introduced.
Domestic violence deaths
March 12, 2015: Silvana Muscat, 36, was found in an apartment in St Paul’s Bay with five stab wounds to her upper body. The police believe she was killed by her estranged husband, Nour Eddine G. Ibrahim Hamid, who had admitted in court the previous month to harassing and threatening her.
He was given a six-month suspended jail term and fined €100. Mr Hamid is still on the run.
November 27, 2012: Yvette Gajda, 38, a Hungarian national, was found dead in an apartment in St Paul’s Bay after being stabbed 40 times with a pair of scissors. Her partner, Laszlo Nandor Marton, 58, is awaiting trial.
He is also wanted in his home country in connection with inflicting injuries during a fight there in 2010.
April 19, 2012: Lawyer Margaret Mifsud, 31, was found dead in her car just off the Coast Road in a dilapidated area of Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Her Libyan former husband, Nizar El Gadi, was convicted of murdering the mother of his two children by applying pressure to her chest and stopping her from breathing.
He was sentenced to life in prison in November.
July 10, 2011: Karen Cheatle, 54, was found drowned in her apartment after police officers went to inform her that the lifeless body of her partner, John Agius, was found hanging in his home
The police believe Mr Agius killed Ms Cheatle and then committed suicide.
June 4, 2011: A Bulgarian woman, Irena Abadzhieva, 38, was found dead in her rented flat in Buġibba with 40 stab wounds.
The police launched a search for a Turkish man who once shared the flat. He is still on the run.
December 11, 2010: Christina Sammut, 40, was shot twice in the neck while waiting in her parked van in Mġarr.
In July of last year, Kenneth Gafà, from Marsa, was sentenced to 35 years in jail.
November 11, 2009: Lyudmila Nykytiuk, 35, died after falling down a lift shaft in a block of flats in St Paul’s Bay following a fierce argument with her husband, Sergeii Nykytiuk of Ukraine.
In 2011, he was jailed for 25 years after jurors heard he did nothing to help his wife when he heard her crying for help, leaving her to bleed to death.