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2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella MANAGING EDITOR Saviour Balzan Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 SEPTEMBER 2020 Still far to go for gender equality Editorial THREE occasions this week have served as an om- inous reminder of the precarious state of women's rights in Malta. The first was an assault on a female Swedish sun- bather, by a male aggressor, in broad daylight on a public beach; the second, a travel ban imposed on a woman whose abusive partner claimed 'wanted an abortion'; and the third was the judgement handed down in a libel case filed by Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar. In different ways, each of these episodes remind us that women in Malta have to live encumbered with fears that men do not necessarily have on a day-to-day basis. That a person may be attacked in a suspected attempted rape, while at the beach; that a woman might be held from exercising her freedom of move- ment because a man alleges she intends getting an abortion (and, even more bizarrely, that the court would even entertain such a request for whatever duration); and that women in politics are slandered by people who refuse to debate politically, and in- stead prefer ad hominem attacks: suggesting that women with agency are supposed to be judged on the basis of their personal choices, as opposed to their professional behaviour… These are all realities which – while not always taking such extreme forms as violence, or the cur- tailment of human rights – would be considered 'rare' or even unheard-of, if the victim were a man. Nonetheless, it is a reflection of the sort of treat- ment or attitudes encountered by most Maltese women in their daily lives. But while some of these attitudes are grounded in universal realities – it is an inescapable fact that women account for well over 90% of all global rape (or attempted rape) cases – others are also reflective of an altogether more local cultural mindset. The Rosianne Cutajar case, for example, is indic- ative of the different way society reacts to male and female figures in political life. Maltese politics being the combative arena it is, male targets are not usually spared from their fair share of 'ad hominem' attacks. But the nature of the insults used to describe men tends to be very differ- ent from its feminine counterpart. Unlike men, women in politics tend to be singled out for entirely personal matters. In Cutajar's case, it was to be called a 'prostitute': partly in reference to unsubstantiated allegations made about the politi- cian's private life, before taking up public service. But in other cases it may be their physical appear- ance, or even their clothes (the case of former Pres- ident Marie-Louise Coleiro, criticised for her choice of attire at a pubic event, is a classic example). All such cases, however, are rooted in the same general malaise: it reflects an underlying (often un- witting) assumption that women should not really hold such positions at all… so that, when they do – and even more so, when they prove just as suc- cessful, if not more, than men – the reaction is not merely of antipathy, but of aggressive (often violent) impulses. But while the law courts upheld this view when ruling on Cutajar's libel case, the justice system itself appears to be perpetuating much the same stereo- type when it comes to other, women-related issues. Though it was eventually lifted after a week, the courts originally decided to impose a travel ban on a woman, simply because her partner had accused her of seeking to terminate a pregnancy abroad. This ruling is not only clearly misogynistic – re- ducing the woman concerned to the level of her (apparently abusive) partner's total control and to the biological essence of child-bearer rather than a person with rights – but it is also legally unsound. Even if it could be proven, the intention to abort overseas cannot be considered a crime, because the procedure would be legal in the country where it is performed. Much more ominously, however, the court ruling openly breaches the woman's fundamental human rights – the right to freedom of movement (not to mention the right to a private life). All this illustrates the extent to which women's rights are pushed to one side, whenever the contro- versial matter of abortion is brought up for discus- sion. Yet discuss we must, even if just to avoid rep- etitions of such injustices in future. Interestingly enough, this was the substance of an online com- ment by former PM Alfred Sant, calling for a ma- ture, reasoned debate on the issue: which received the support of Labour deputy leader Daniel Farrugia as well as members of Labour's women's section NL. This sentiment echoes a sea-change in the way abortion is spoken about in Malta. After all, it was in 2019 and 2020 that we saw the rise of a pro choice coalition of young female activists, progressives, doctors and feminists. But we should not just debate abortion: we also need to speak about the wider context of wider gender equality rights; and that also includes the right of women to participate in public life without harassment; the right of women to determine their own futures, unfettered by the social pressures of a male-dominated society; and above all, the right of women and LGBTQI+ people to feel safe in their own country. It seems that we still have some distance to go. 26 September, 2010 GRTU president accuses Sandro Chetcuti of 'unethical business dealings' A scathing attack by the Chamber od SMEs (GRTU) president Paul Abela has accused the new Malta Developers Association (MDA) and its vice president Sandro Chet- cuti of having "benefitted from the greatest money laundering exercise of hundreds of millions of tax-evaded monies." The diatribe, penned in the GRTU's news- letter, accuses Chetcuti – who faces charg- es of attempted murder after he assaulted GRTU director Vince Farrugia – of having "basked under [a] tax amnesty awarded by minster Tonio Fenech." Chetcuti was last week appointed vice-president of the MDA, whose presi- dent is former Nationalist minister Michael Falzon. Its 60 members include construction magnate Charles 'ic-Caqnu' Polidano. Chetcuti is effectively described by Abela as a multi-millionaire who benefitted from the government's tax amnesties and who was kicked out of the GRTU due to his unethical business record. Chetcuti, 38, was accused of the attempted murder of Vince Farrugia when he assaulted him at the GRTU offices on 11 March, 2010. According to Abela, Farrugia was instruct- ed by the GRTU council to tell Chetcuti that "his unethical business dealings" dealings made his position as GRTU vice-president untenable. Abela, describing himself as a "lifelong member of the PN", also writes that he will be requesting the party to "dismiss Michael Falzon from the party" for "cheekily covering up for [Chetcuti] and accepting him as dep- uty." Asked for his reaction, Chetcuti told Mal- taToday he is seeking legal counsel over the "false allegations in [his] regard." "These words are not coming from the heart of my friend Paul Abela," Chetcuti said. "I'm confident the truth will be revealed. I will continue to respect everyone's opinion. As to the comments about my pending court case, I choose to voice my opinion after the case is decided." ... Quote of the Week "Malta claims to be a secular society but it's still not the case. Tolerance and respect for different views, beliefs and practices, are still not anchored in the ways people speak, behave, understand each other." Labour MEP Alfred Sant MaltaToday 10 years ago