A seminar has been held to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women.

Addressing the seminar this morning, Social Policy Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said, “This seminar brought to a close a week-long of discussions and manifestations, showing our determination to keep on the fight to eliminate violence against women and essentially to give Freedom from Fear.”

The Minister explained that the National Commission, through the Ministry, is in the process of employing a research officer to help facilitate the process of collecting data on domestic violence.

“The Government has approved funds, to set up the Sexual Assault Response Team,” the Minister advised. “The process is already underway for the setting up of this Sexual Assault Response Team, which is earmarked to start in 2014.”

She added, research abroad has found that “the psychological consequences to a rape victim can be increased or diminished by the responses of law enforcement personnel and health care providers.”

The aim of this project is also to treat and collect evidence from sexual assault victims with more sensitivity and effectiveness, and to ensure empowerment rather than re-victimization, the Minister explained.

“The SART in Malta will be set up as a public-social partnership whereby an NGO will be responsible for the management of the process whilst the Commission will oversee the whole process of the project.”

“This initiative is aimed to provide early intervention and timely action, and will improve access to the best services to meet the needs of the victims of sexual abuse, both those that are immediate, as well as longer-term needs.

“The Sexual Assault Response Team will provide interdisciplinary service, that is sensitive to the needs of the victim, specialised, and efficient.”

The Minister said that as a Maltese society, we are becoming more and more aware and even more determined, of the need to make the elimination of violence against women an effective commitment and hence a reality in our country.

“I had the opportunity to attend and address the launch of the newly founded coalition: ‘Men Against Violence’. This new coalition, whereby a number of NGO’s, together with a widespread of psycho/social and other professionals, has brought truly good news for Malta in this field.

“I take the opportunity to commend: The Women’s Rights Foundation, the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations, kellimni.com, the National Council of Women and a number of individuals including forensic psychologists, who have taken the lead to organise themselves in this newly founded coalition, the Minister said.

She said that a special not of thanks goes to the men involved in this coalition, who will effectively make a big difference now to our fight to eliminate violence against women in our country and to free the vulnerable from fear.

“Surely their involvement in this issue will help to bring about the much needed in mentality, culture and attitudes. Through this coalition, men will help to promote what our society will be like, whereby men together with women will bring in the change and free women from fear.

“I must emphasiSe that this important coalition is a strong message to all other men, that now, there is a more compact front to eliminate all sorts of violence against women in our society.”

The Minister added that this week she also had the opportunity to address a seminar organised by the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations on the occasion of the International Day For The Elimination of Violence Against Women.

“This seminar discussed the issue of rape and how the Istanbul Convention can be used as a tool for change in its fight against rape.”

“Unfortunately, rape is still tabooed in Malta.” The Minister pointed out that “this can be seen from the records of the Domestic Violence Unit of Agenzija Appogg, whereby it is recorded that although in the first six months of this year 423 cases of domestic violence were reported, there were no reports of rape since 2001.”

“This is another important issue that needs further indulging into, to establish the true picture of what is happening in our society,” the Minister said.

“The Istanbul Convention too emphasises the need for comparable data to know the extent of the problem of domestic violence.

“This issue of the collation of data, is of special relevance to Malta. We do collect some data however this is unfortunately very little and definitely not enough,” the Minister said.

“The limited data we have is also present within different entities, which may not be comparable, and is certainly not comprehensive.

“I would like this to change and am hoping that you, as professionals in the diverse professions during your discussions today will agree on a way forward to develop a data bank of information, whereby, the subsequent information, could provide us with the necessary indicators and research to help in developing the necessary new approaches and programmes, to strengthen our endeavours in our fight against violence in our society.

“We need and want also the collation of information and data to help provide for more effective support for women who experience violence,” the Minister said.

“We do need a more thorough, research-based approach, to make sure that we reach our objectives and targets.” the Minister added, a few days ago I noted that there existed no data in Malta on the correlationTbetween bullying at schools and domestic violence.”

“According to a 2011 international reading survey, 42% of Maltese students who took part in the survey reported having never experienced bullying. However 36% of students said they experienced bullying on a monthly basis while 22% said they suffered bullying on a weekly basis.”

“These indicators when compared on international basis, amount to a higher rate to that of the international average rate.” Ms Coleiro-Preca stated, “this is even more worrying.”

“With this in mind and with no scientific analysis, I can only assume that this bullying at school is the result of bullying at home or that it could result in bullying at home or that it could result in bullying at home,” she said.

“These statistics could be a mirror of what is going on behind closed doors of our homes. If this is so then, what the Domestic Violence Unit of Agenzija Appogg comes across, is but a tip of the iceberg.

“However I stress that this is but an assumption as there is no scientific research and comparative study yet of such data on this matter,” the Minister added.

“In fact I would like to take this opportunity to officially ask the National Commission against Domestic Violence to carry a survey to determine whether such a relation exists, and if does exist, to establish its extent,” she said.

The Minister said that it is also one of the objectives of the present Government that, through collaboration of all stakeholders, that is Malta Police, Agenzija Appogg, Ministry for Health and Malta Courts, the Domestic violence commission may be enabled to establish a comprehensive process in the collection of data on domestic violence.

“A research analyst has been assigned with the Commission with the aim of gathering statistics on domestic violence from the various stakeholders dealing with cases of domestic violence with the aim to eliminate double reporting of cases.”

The Minister said that “Malta has in fact signed the Istanbul Convention, and thus has shown its intention to change national legislation, introduce and strengthen its measures and allocate resources to effectively prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence.

“Working towards the ratification of the Istanbul Convention is now our next step.”

“Malta requires to put forward amendments in the Laws such as the Domestic Violence Act which only relates to domestic violence whilst the Convention refers to Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence against Women and domestic violence,” the Minister said.

“The Convention itself, however, also includes vulnerable persons, boys, girls, men, disabled persons, immigrants and others.

“The Istanbul Convention emphasises the need to involve all relevant stakeholders so that the best services are offered in order that the violence against women and domestic violence is combated in the best way possible,” the Minister concluded.

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