Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525500
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt 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 • 18 AUGUST 2024 Femicide, a macho culture and the need for a changed mind set Editorial NICOLETTE Ghirxi's name will without doubt be for- ever etched in the hearts and minds of her relatives and friends. She was taken away cruelly by the murderous act of a jilted former partner. However, as the weeks start to roll forward, the rest of society will start forgetting her. Like the many female victims that came before her, Ghirxi will slowly become another statistic in Malta's femicide list. It is an unfortunate reality that is only shattered when we report on another victim or when women's groups organise manifestations to keep prodding the national conscience. Too many women have been killed by jilted lovers, partners, husbands, boyfriends, men they may have be- friended and siblings. The underlying causes vary but in many cases the women would have suffered abuse before deciding to break up the toxic relationship. In those cas- es where abuse did not exist, it started afterwards, in the form of harassment in every shape and form. The main psychological characteristic in these murders appears to be the male assumption that the woman be- longs to him; a possession of sorts. This oppressive, suf- focating behaviour denies the woman her dignity and the right to even exist outside the relationship. Fighting this is not just a question of having the right laws, tough punishments and support structures that work efficiently. It is a cultural attitude that permeates from a toxic macho culture. Tackling this is at a young age is imperative. So many boys grow up to be emotionally stunted because of the misguided expectation that they should be tough and strong. Too many men neglect their mental health well- being because it is a sign of weakness and vulnerability. In these circumstances, some grow up with the need to dominate over the women that cross their paths because that is 'how it should be'. This is a tragic recipe that is leaving too many victims in its path. Different stakeholders have a role to play to foster a culture where compassion, understanding, respect and dignity replace egoism, denigration, fear and oppression. This leader believes that education will always remain a key component in addressing the issue. However, we will resist the temptation to focus solely on education while ignoring the need to have the right laws and structures in place to prevent having more victims. This country passed through multiple traumas over the past years, not least the gruesome murder of Bernice Cas- sar that led to an inquiry, which identified several short- comings in the system. While the circumstances of Ghirxi's case appear to be different from those of Bernice, not least because the for- mer had refused to undergo a threat assessment when she reported the initial harassment and insults via email, there is a question that requires a level-headed answer. When, four days before her murder, Nicolette reported to the police that she believed her former partner was in Malta, how should such a report have been handled? According to Nicolette's lawyer, back in April the police unsuccessfully tried to call in the aggressor for question- ing after receiving the victim's report. However, he evi- dently was not in Malta and mocked the police, suggest- ing also that he would be back on the island in July. Even if Nicolette decided against a risk assessment be- cause she may have not felt her life being threatened, how should the police have reacted when they received the latest report from her indicating the man was possibly in Malta? Was there too much casualness in processing the latest report because the victim had refused an assessment? Nicolette may have felt something was off about her ex-partner and she may have been bothered, even fearful of him when he harassed her through email and messag- es. But she may have also reasoned out that if she went ahead with the process of risk assessment and possible police involvement, the case would have dragged on and would dominate her life. This is all hypothetical but very plausible and understandable. Victims of domestic vio- lence cannot be faulted for deciding to step away from taking the matter to the police. There are myriad reasons why they would do this and each could be plausible. Unfortunately, as history keeps showing us, in these cas- es the problem rarely goes away on its own and unless help is sought it keeps spiralling into a vortex of emotion- al blackmail, abuse and at the extreme end, murder. And this is why a change in mind set is required. Even in cases where victims stop short, police officers and so- cial workers should have the intuition to keep following up on their case. They should be touching base; asking the person whether everything is OK and whether they would like to meet discreetly to discuss anything that is bothering them. This pro-active approach may not work with everyone since some victims may feel the police and social workers have no business prying into their lives. Admittedly, these cases are hard to deal with because they involve human emotions that can often cloud a per- son's judgement. In some instances, the victim's behav- iour is also conditioned by her life circumstances: What happens to the children? How will she be able to finan- cially stand up on her own two feet if she leaves her hus- band? Where will she go and live? These are questions that require socio-economic an- swers apart from legal ones. It would be foolish for anyone to believe that all mur- ders can be avoided. Femicides will continue to happen. But having the right legal, social and economic structures in place and a cultural disposition that fosters a mind-set that is more understanding of victims' fears could pos- sibly save more women from ending up as a gruesome statistic. Quote of the Week "Deeply ingrained societal norms, gender inequalities and gender stereotypes continue to reinforce abusive societal attitudes and behaviours, with femicide being the worst manifestation of gender-based violence." Commissioner on Gender-based Violence and Domestic Violence Samantha Pace-Gasan in the aftermath of the murder of Nicolette Ghirxi by her ex partner. MaltaToday 10 years ago 10 August 2014 IIP citizens bring in €130 million APPLICATIONS for Maltese citizenship un- der the Individual Investor Programme num- ber over 200 and most of the applications do not face any serious objection, MaltaToday has learned. The applicants are mostly Russian, but applications hail from over 70 countries. All applicants made the relevant deposits and in some cases the agents, which include many leading Maltese legal firms, have al- ready been paid a €70,000 fee upfront. With most of the applicants believed to be headed for Maltese citizenship, it would mean that the government would have raked in at least €130 million, which is €100 million more than estimated by Prime Minister Jo- seph Muscat for the first year alone. Legal firms could theoretically and cumu- latively have earned €14 million. It is unclear how much Henley and Partners, the IIP's concessionaires, will be making for each citi- zen accepted. Government sources were tight-lipped on further details apart from saying that they were overwhelmed by the interest in the scheme. Investors who make a minimum contri- bution of €650,000 (plus €25,000 each for any spouse or minor child) will be granted Maltese citizenship, provided they meet due diligence criteria and pass a criminal back- ground check. Apart from having had to purchase a property worth at least €350,000, or to rent a property for €16,000 a month, the third re- quirement – purchasing €150,000 in financial instruments – would mean a cumulative impact of €30 million in such investments. The new citizens' Maltese passport will give them full voting rights on the island and free access to the border-Schengen area inside the EU.