Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/475084
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 2015 10 JAMES DEBONO 77% of Maltese still believe that family life suffers when the mother takes a full-time job, placing the Maltese holding such a view third out of all member states in a Eu- rope-wide survey. That view was expressed by 60% of Europeans participating in the Eurobarometer survey on gender equality carried out in December and published this week. It was strongest in Portugal (79%), Latvia (78%) and Malta (77%) and weakest in Denmark and Sweden (32%). To people like Renee Laiviera, Equality Commissioner, the results reflect the traditional stereotypes which have been changing over the years. "However we see in soci- ety young people who have had two working parents and who have suc- ceeded in continuing to work and to build their own families. There is not necessarily a correlation be- tween problems within the family and both parents working. Both par- ents working has been supported by institutional structures such as free child care and family friendly meas- ures at the workplace." 55% of the Maltese believe that men are less competent than wom- en at performing household tasks. This view is also shared by 50% of all citizens in EU member states. The view that men are less com- petent in household tasks is most widespread in Italy and Hungary (71%) and least prevalent in the Netherlands, where only 20% agree. "Traditional stereotypes and up- bringing reinforce the idea that men are less competent at perform- ing household tasks than women," Laiviera said. "However, men who are willing to contribute to house- hold tasks are just as capable as their female counterparts." The survey also shows that 35% of the Maltese believe that women are less willing than men to make a career for themselves. Only 29% of citizens in all EU states agree. And only 27% of Maltese (com- pared to 34% of all Europeans) think that a father must prioritise his ca- reer over looking after his children. 68% of Maltese (compared to an EU average of 57%) think that men should work more in child care. The percentage of Maltese who think so has increased by a remark- able 18 points since 2009, the high- est increase registered in any EU country. "Children also need male role mod- els," Liaviera said. "And therefore it is important for men to be involved in children's' formative years. In general, the National Commis- sion for the Protection of Equality supports non traditional employ- ment choices for men and women." The survey shows that the Maltese are the least in Europe who associ- ate violence against women with human trafficking. Trafficking in human beings re- ceives the highest respondent men- tions in Belgium (47%), Romania (44%), Estonia (38%), Lithuania (36%) and Slovakia (34%); and the lowest mention in Malta (12%). On average 24% of citizens or re- spondents hailing from all 28 EU members associate violence against women with human trafficking. 55% of the Maltese associate vio- lence against women with sexual violence and rape. While 57% of Eu- ropeans associate violence against women with violence within the family or between partners, only 44% of Maltese think likewise. Violence in close relationships (partners or family etc.) or domestic violence is the most widely cited type of violence in 15 Member States. It receives the highest mentions in Sweden (75%), Luxembourg (70%), Spain (69%) and France (67%); and the lowest in Hungary (42%), Italy (43%), Malta (44%), Croatia (47%), and Latvia and the Netherlands (48% in each). But the Maltese are more likely to associate violence against women with psychological harm. While 37% of Europeans express this view, 48% of Maltese make this association. "The above statistics may show a lack of awareness as well as a refusal to acknowledge that such abuse oc- curs in intimate, familial and close relationships," Laiviera said. A man accused of human traf- ficking, Harish Daswani, has been blocked from transferring or dispos- ing of his savings of some €9,623 in an APS bank account he holds after the Criminal Court issued an attach- ment order against him. Daswani, 38, is accused of human trafficking with the intent to labour exploitation, threatening his Indone- sian housemaid Oriance Kelin, and breaching employment laws. He is pleading not guilty. The victim claims that Daswani, 38, refused to let her go out. Daswani has admitted not paying Kelin any wages, but paid 2,000 Singapore dol- lars (€1,200) through Western Un- ion to pay for her flights and to cover a loan she had. He said that he had not paid her because she had given him her bank details for him to de- posit her wages and she did not want cash. The court decree ordered the at- tachment of all monies and other movable property belonging to Das- wani, prohibiting him from trans- ferring any movable or immovable property limitedly for the sum of €9,623 contained in his APS savings account. The attachment order was issued in terms of the Money Laundering Act. A court was told that the alleged victim was only paid €6 for her year of work with her employers in Malta. She said she had no passport and was virtually a prisoner who was only al- lowed out for very short periods. News Majority still believe that family life suffers when women work Court freeze on bank account for man accused of trafficking housemaid The alleged victim was paid only €6 for her year of work in Malta Renee Laiviera, Equality Commissioner Harish Daswani