886 reported cases of domestic violence in 2018

There have been 886 cases of domestic violence as of August 2018, translating to roughly 27 cases a week or four cases per day, figures published in Parliament show.

The figures, which were provided by Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia in reply to a parliamentary question tabled by PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami, also show that the locality with the highest number of cases was St Paul’s Bay, followed closely by Birkirkara (50), Qormi (50), and Marsaskala (48).

Żabbar (38), Bormla (34), and Birżebbuġa (33) also recorded a high number of cases, while Fontana, Mdina, and Qala all recorded the lowest, with one case each.

According to statistics, there were 1,257 reports of domestic violence in the whole of 2017, with the majority of victims being women (1,064). This translates to roughly 24 cases a week or three cases per day, indicating an increase in either reported cases or an increase in victims.

It should be noted that the figures do not include all cases of domestic violence, as a number go unreported.

On 22 September, a protest against femicide was held in Valletta after a number of attacks directed at women in 2018, the most recent being the murder of a mother of six who was a known victim of domestic violence.

The protest saw people carrying placards with the names of women who had been killed in their own homes, and was also attended by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Deputy Speaker Claudette Buttigieg and representatives of both Partit Demokratiku and Alternattiva Demokratika.