Director of Victim Support Malta Roberta Lepre said the current systems are failing in offering effective protection for victims while delays in our courts, among the highest in the EU, certainly bring no justice to victims. She did note however that some improvements have been made over the years in terms of victim support.
Dr Lepre was speaking to The Malta Independent after this newsroom asked her whether there’s enough communication between the authorities and victim support agencies, whether victims are being given enough support and if she feels that once passed, a law which enables victims of crime to be given a greater voice, is a positive step towards enhancing support for victims.
Positive trend: Enhanced awareness on domestic violence resulting in more reports filed
Dr Lepre said that over the past years there have been improvements in terms of victim support, most notably greater awareness about domestic violence in general, resulting in more reports being filed with the police.
She pointed out that the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the transposition of the Victims’ Directive are also major milestones in this regard. However, she said that more needs to be done in order to translate the support and protection envisaged under the law into real effective services for victims of crime.
“Unfortunately the current systems are failing in offering effective protection for victims. The solution is complex but the underlining requirement is that there needs to be urgent investment in the field in order to put into practice the various forms of support and protection available under the current systems.
“Among other things, multi-agency cooperation is required in order to carry out proper risk-assessments of victims, in order to establish the response required in each particular case. “Also, despite the fact that a large number of individuals are being arraigned on charges related to domestic violence, effective penalties are seldom imposed,” she explained.
Justice delayed is justice denied
She continued: “Other forms of protection, such as the issuing of protection orders, are rarely applied. Ways of ensuring enforcement of such protection orders, such as through electronic tagging of offenders, also need to be implemented.
“The current Legal Aid system needs to be strengthened in order to be able to effectively handle cases on behalf of victims. Court reforms, although already under way, need to be continued - as we say, justice delayed is justice denied, and therefore the delays in our courts, among the highest in the EU, certainly bring no justice to victims.
“We also need to make sure that stakeholders at all levels are well trained in dealing with gender-based violence and in providing victims with the support and protection that they deserve.
“There is some form of communication and liaison between the police and victim support organisations, however these are sporadic and not consistent. I believe that rather than merely communicating on individual issues, we need to develop procedures through which we regularly work together to provide victims with holistic support,” Dr Lepre said.