But beneath the surface, emotions are brimming over.
Malta may not have divorce, or strip-tease joints, but that does not mean that in their imagination, many people are not living in a country where divorce exists, and
strip-tease is passé.
A survey of what the Maltese themselves put on the Internet is very revealing. Trawling the Net one meets a very different kind of Malta, a Malta where sexuality runs riot and controls are nonexistent, where people can act out their fantasies.
As this report shows, people are not shy to show their faces, and their bodies, if not their names, or to declare their sexual preferences.
Toysfourplay.com
This is a website based in Malta. It calls itself The Maltese adult pleasure website.
Its front page declares: This site does NOT contain PORNOGRAPHY. This site is aimed at Open Minded Adults and content might still not be suitable for everyone. So LEAVE NOW if you are not an adult or if you think you may be offended by viewing content of a sexual nature.
It then adds: Be seduced by the selection of sexy lingerie and clothing, adult toys, sexy gifts and other fun products ideal to brighten up parties, for that special occasion or simply for everyday fun. Click on Products to visit our e-shop and feed your imagination. Privacy is extremely important to us and to our clients. Rest assured that you can order in confidence and that packages are
delivered by our staff (and not by a sub contracted courier company) with the maximum discretion, in plain wrapping and at a time and place in Malta as convenient for you.
Its products range from condoms to fantasy and fetish, from lingerie to lubricants, from party gifts and novelties to rubber and PVC wear as well as to sexy toys.
Face-pic.com
This is an international website with mainly personal ads from all over the world.
A cursory look yesterday revealed that there are pictures of no less than 263 “straight” women and 536 “straight” males, plus five declared gays, and two
bisexuals from Malta.
People come from all over the island.
There were at least two girls aged 16, one with her picture as she draped over the bed, calling herself Nawty_gal from Swieqi. This is how she describes herself: “I’m a very outgoing person, love to hang out with friends and have laughs. I’m quite relaxed but I’m also a very panicky person. I’m a friend to all as long as the occasional person doesn’t p… me off intentionally, then I can be very nasty.
“Heqq, I don’t change my mind to please other people or change who I am… this is me, take it or leave it. I hate two-faced people: what you have to say, say it to my face…”
Her pets are listed in Maltese: Ragel … marbut mas-sodda and her address is given as “My Bed”.
Another 16-year old gives her name. She is from Naxxar and she admits: “I don’t like Pakistani people”.
Other women come from Marsascala, Sliema, there is a ‘Mis-behave’ from St Julian’s, a Fufina from Birzebbuga and a Qawsalla from Mellieha
maltaclassifieds.com
As its name implies, Malta Classifieds is a website for people to put in their adverts. The range varies from pets to antiques, from boats to computers.
Its Personal column includes items such as:
ESCORT SERVICE SOON IN MALTA Imagine yourself dining with a beautiful, elegant woman by your side for a romantic dinner, a day’s events, for a special business function, or just your own personal relaxation time shared with a warm, intelligent, beautiful female.... For further...
And its Services section begins with:
Body Massage Gentleman offers full body massage to females only. Have own apartment in St.Julian’s. Very Discreet. Enjoy an unforgetable experience. Call or e-mail....
The playground of hatemail
The first that Lucia (fictitious name), a single, came to know of it was when she began to get strange calls and SMSs from unknown men on her mobile, all asking to meet her and ready for fun.
After recovering from her shock and surprise, she discovered that her name and mobile number had been pasted on to one of the classified ads websites, naturally not by herself, but by someone who wanted to have a go at her.
When she visited a stationers to get a new PIN number, she found out this has become quite widespread and seems to be the rage in certain parts of the island.
Besotted
Marisa Borg, a Maltese woman who claimed to be engaged to Davender Ram Ratwana from Uttam Nagar in India was bitterly disappointed after she realised the man had cheated her over $70,000 (Lm25,925) on the pretext of marrying her three years ago.
One year has passed since Ms Borg filed a complaint with the Delhi Police but Ratwana has not been found.
Like many other men and women who use the Internet to chat and get to know new people, Ms Borg was one of the unfortunate ones who believed the lies she was being told.
To add insult to injury Ms Borg, who was married once before, had also claimed she was pregnant with Ratwana’s child. He had denied it could be his child and overnight severed all ties with Ms Borg.
Ms Borg reportedly got to know Ratwana when the two chatted on the Internet in June 2001. After chatting for four months, Ratwana proposed marriage to Ms Borg and the plot thickened.
Accepting the marriage proposal, Ms Borg spoke to Ratwana’s family members on the telephone. The ‘couple’ decided to meet and Ms Borg suggested that she would visit India herself first, but Ratwana objected. He asked Ms Borg to wait and asked her to finance his trip to Malta instead, which she did.
She sent him $14,400 (over Lm5,000) That money he used to visit Ms Borg in Malta, where he spent one month before leaving forever. However, before he left Malta Ratwana promised to marry Ms Borg, only to change his mind a few months later.
When Ratwana returned home, Ms Borg informed him she was carrying his child. He advised his future wife to terminate the pregnancy. At the time he told her he was under stress, and among other things wanted to set up his own business - asking her for help.
Feeling sorry for him, Ms Borg sent him more money, which she assumed would help him set up his business, which in turn would earn him enough money to support her and their child. The money she gave him totalled $56,952 (over Lm21,000).
The Maltese police were not notified about this case, although when informed they called for caution when dealing with people on the Internet.
Assistant police commissioner, Michael Cassar, who has, among many other duties, the responsibility of dealing with economic crimes and fraud told this newspaper many people have become victims of fraud through deals or dating the people they get involved with on the Internet.
“These ‘games’ are very dangerous, and people should be very, very careful...otherwise they will be taken for a ride,” said Mr Cassar.
Despite the warnings, not only from the police but from others who have had bad experiences many keep on ‘dating’ people from the Internet. Some dating games do work out, and couples who have met on the Internet, in chat rooms, have eventually married but many are still being fooled.
Many turn to the Internet to find someone to talk to when they are lonely, but few realise that as much as there are people who like themselves are searching for nothing but a friendship and someone to talk to, others are consciously taking them for a ride, giving out false information, inventing names, and details about their family background, profession and so on.
To a certain extent, not knowing that someone is a ‘fake’ Internet friend is better than knowing you have been fooled.
Il-monti.com
Il-monti.com is a website based in Malta, with people registering and putting up classified adverts free of charge.
These are some of the many messages one finds:
Man for any: 33-year-old kinky male looking for fun both online and real life. Ladies and couples feel free to message. Interested in erotic emails, chat, phonesex, threesomes. Discretion is a must.
Man for woman: Maltese 28-year-old cute guy looking for two bi(sexual) females for discreet meetings. Holds a variety of sextoys. Interested in Maltese and foreign ladies. Reply will always be guaranteed. Discretion is a must.
Man for man: Handsome 30-year-old male model, looking for good sex with other nice men. Must be over 20 and very sensual and open-minded.
Man for woman: Looking for a female stripper for private function – 20 to 35 years. Must be clean and drug free.
Man for any: I am a 27-year-old cute guy, desperately wanting any kind of fun with a transsexual or shemale. Will you be the one to make my dream come true???
Man for woman: 38-year-old
discreet professional married, male looking for single or married woman, or male/female couple for consensual fun during daytime only.