“Any form of verbal abuse, like other types of abuse, is deplorable and should be met with appropriate sanctions.”
Dr Roberta Lepre, Director of Victim Support Malta and Grace Attard, Former Executive Committee Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Vice President of the National Council of Women shared the same thought with The Malta Independent. Since Aditus was the only entity to issue a statement condemning the incident the Malta Independent ask the women’s organisations to give their reaction after Labour MP Joe Debono Grech verbally abused independent MP Dr Marlene Farrugia last Friday during a parliamentary sitting. Mr Debono Grech said to Dr Farrugia: “I will come to beat you up” (Nigighalik u nifqghak).
Dr Lepre said that when the act in question happens within the context of our nation's highest institution it should be highly condemned even more. She said that over the years there have been thousands of other individuals, the vast majority of them women, who were subjected to similar or worse types of abuse, with the offender going unpunished. She added that “the impunity enjoyed by their aggressors has not attracted the level of disdain brought about by this incident.” Dr Lepre said that it is high time we start speaking up as vociferously for all victims irrespective of who they are.
Grace Attard said that nobody has the right to be disrespectable either in public or in private. She deplored the incident and said that she expected more respect to be shown in Parliament. Ms Attard said that since Dr Farrugia is an independent MP, without the protection of a party, it makes her more vulnerable. Ms Attard stressed the fact that the country expects serious sanctioning of the behaviour of Mr Debono Grech and for any other incident of the sort that may happen in the future. She added that laws should be revised so that immediate action will be taken. The Vice President of the NCOW said that “what happened in Parliament encourages verbal violence and unfortunately it sends the message that to insult and be aggressive is acceptable.”
In a statement Aditus Foundation said that the interaction between two Members of Parliament was an "offence to the entire nation”. It was highlighted that the example set in the House of Representatives, a spectacle of a woman being harassed and bullied before her peers and the entire nation, is of deep concern and should immediately attract the condemnation of Malta's equality bodies, relevant civil society organisations and all political stakeholders. The statement further read that the almost absolute lack of accountability at the highest levels of Malta's democratic institutions, and confirmed that Malta is miles away from ensuring a society that is free from harassment and violence against women.
This newsroom also sent questions to the Commissioner of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality Ms Renee Laviera who said NCPE condemns all forms of verbal abuse against anyone, women or men. The kind of behaviour that we witnessed in the House of Representatives is unacceptable in any situation. The fact that it occurred in Parliament makes it even more serious since this is the highest institution in the country and our legislators are also expected to lead by example.