After following the conference about domestic violence held last Friday on the news, it is positive to note that awareness about domestic violence and abuse is increasing among the general population.

On the other hand, it is worrying though to see that most conference attendees were women. Probably they were either victims themselves or practitioners working in the area, as if domestic violence is a women’s only problem. Only one female police inspector attended, for example.

It is fair enough to have female professionals working with the victims and their family, maybe because they feel more comfortable sharing their preoccupations with another woman, but it seems as if the problem is always lumped on the female professionals. After all, it is well known that most perpetrators are males, though the numbers of female perpetrators might be increasing. Awareness raising has to increase in the male population as well.

Men should be more involved in the campaigns. Gender roles and expectations can and do play a role in abusive situations, and addressing these roles and expectations from a young age, can be helpful in addressing abusive situations.

C. Borg

Birkirkara