Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1445232
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JANUARY 2022 NEWS LUKE VELLA ACTIVISTS "sick and tired" of the state of protection for wom- en victims of assault and gen- der-based violence have called for legal reforms safeguarding women and an end to the patri- archal system. In a demonstration outside the police headquarters in Floriana yesterday, a number of organi- sations from the fields of human and women's rights, expressed their anger and frustration at police investigators' claims that the most recent femicide in Mal- ta was considered "gender-relat- ed". On 2 January, Polish national Paulina Dembska, a Sliema res- ident, was brutally raped and murdered in Sliema. The aggres- sor, 20-year-old Abner Aquilina, was charged with the murder. There appears to be no connec- tion between the victim and the accused. But police investigators described the murder as a ran- dom act of violence that had not been motivated by the victim's gender. But it was this statement that was heavily criticised by wom- en's rights activists and groups, who said this was indicative of the lack of knowledge and sen- sitivity surrounding the issue of violence against women. The activists argued that such statements, presented by three male members of the Malta Po- lice Force, showed lack of knowl- edge and awareness about issues related to gender and sexuality, not least about gender-based vi- olence. "Justifying such an insensitive and uninformed claim by argu- ing that prior to Paulina Demb- ska's murder, the alleged perpe- trator of the crime attacked two men, does not make this crime gender-neutral," they said. Police claimed the alleged at- tacker has a rather "complicated sexual identity" and consequent- ly he attacked persons at ran- dom, regardless of their gender. "Regardless of who the alleged perpetrator attacked before, the fact remains that ultimately, it was a woman who was raped and murdered, reflecting the fact that women continue to be the vast majority of rape victims and of gender-based violence leading to murder," the NGOs said. They emphasised that this was the latest femicide in a string of women murdered by men, reflecting a patriarchal culture based on gender stereotypes which permeates society, to the extent that it is normalised, dismissed, trivialised and its ex- istence denied. "This culture, which is pervasive of the whole society, is transmitted across generations and reinforced by parents, teachers, religious lead- ers and other role models, as well as by the media. Society as a whole is responsible for gender inequality in society. This ren- ders Malta an unjust and unsafe society for women." The organisations called for more accountability by those in authority, and to address lengthy court proceedings, the failure of effective protection and toler- ance towards sexist attitudes and comments towards women and girls. They also called for concrete action in all spheres of society to address stereotypes, misogy- ny and patriarchy; a review and reform of sexuality and relation- ship education guidelines; for victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape to be taken more seriously; and for an end to society's victim-blaming, to ensure the actions of the per- petrators are taken seriously by the justice system. Moviment Graffitti, Wom- en's Rights Foundation, Mal- ta LGBT+ Rights Movement (MGRM), Young Progressive Beings, Doctors for Choice Malta, Integra Foundation, adi- tus foundation, YMCA Malta, Men Against Violence, Għajje- jt u Xbajt, The Malta Women's Lobby, Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar, Migrant Women Association Malta, Women for Women Foundation participated in the demonstration. ADPD calls for femicide laws ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo and Deputy Secre- tary General Sandra Gauci said the party stands in solidarity with victims of violence, rape, harassment and femicide, and their families. They expressed their support to the organisa- tions and Saturday's demonstra- tion. "Femicide is the fruit of misog- yny which is the hate towards anything feminine," Gauci said. She said women in Malta feel they are in imminent danger in their everyday life, with the per- petrator possibly being anyone. "This constant living on alert has become something which many women have become used to. Couple this with reports of harassment or violence not be- ing taken seriously or the victim being passed off as a liar and you have the perfect recipe for de- spair." "By acknowledging that femi- cide is real, we are giving vis- ibility to this problem [...] we demand that femicide be recog- nized at law as we cannot keep our heads in the sand any longer. Women need protection. Let us offer it to them," Gauci said. 'Sick and tired' Activists and feminists demand State recognition of gender-based violence and femicide in manifestation outside police headquarters "Regardless of who the alleged perpetrator attacked before, the fact remains that ultimately, it was a woman who was raped and murdered, reflecting the fact that women continue to be the vast majority of rape victims and of gender-based violence leading to murder."