There are two types of people: those who feel passionately about the need for an increase in equality in every facet of our society and those who go about their day, not caring, not knowing the facts and completely oblivious to what goes on around them.

Did you know that one in five Maltese women has suffered sexual harassment? Did you know that one in seven Maltese women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence? Did you know that – as shocking as these statistics are – the real number is probably much higher due to the huge number of silent victims who never speak out, never report a crime, or don’t even realise that what is being done to them is wrong? Imagine three women you know. These could be a colleague, friend, relative, the waitress that takes your order, your GP, your lawyer, your accountant, or even your mother. According to the World Health Organisation, one out of those three women will be subjected to physical and/or sexual harassment and/or violence in their lifetime, purely because they are a woman.

But it is not just in regard to violence, harassment and sexual assault where Malta is failing. It has recently ranked a pitiful 16 out of 28 member states in the EIGE Gender Equality Index, with results highlighting a huge disparity between a woman’s place in society and that of a man. The report highlighted the lack of Maltese women involved in politics (only 13 per cent of Malta’s parliamentarians are women), and indicated a worrying imbalance between the division of time spent on domestic tasks, social activity and child care.

Malta champions itself as a beacon of equality; it brags about its progressive and forward-thinking LBGTQ rights, about the introduction of an “x” on passports as a third gender option, about gay marriage and adoption, and about having one of the lowest gender pay gaps in the EU – but what use is this if, at the core of our society, there is still a deep hatred and disdain for women. Whilst its advocacy for equal rights is progressive in one way, it is extremely stagnant in another. Why are women still being trampled on at home, at work, on the bus and in the street, and being under-represented on a massive scale when it comes to politics and positions of power?

I have lived in this country for around 10 years and in that time I have experienced severe physical violence, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment, all directed to me because of my gender. I have been flashed at and masturbated at in a public place multiple times, I have been told I should consider flirting with my male colleagues to get ahead in my career, and I have been told that, as a woman, I will never progress far in a male-dominated country. I have been called ‘intimidating’, ‘aggressive’ and ‘bossy’, whilst my male counterparts – with suspected personality disorders and a high propensity for outbursts of violence and swearing – are called ‘great leaders’. I have been let down by the police and the legal system on more than one occasion and was once told by a well-known male judge “next time, think twice before calling the police” without him even bothering to look at my extensive, detailed, and colourful medical report which detailed a violent assault at the hands of a domestic partner.

My story is all too common and I am far from being the only one. I cannot name one woman that I know who has not had a negative experience here due to her gender. These experiences range from having men stop and make lewd comments and sexual gestures out of their car windows whilst they are walking, to the more serious being grabbed, groped, and even assaulted whilst minding their own business and going about their day. Let us get a few things straight: a catcall is not a compliment, flicking your tongue at me out of your car window is not acceptable (you know you who are), and rubbing your genitals up against a young lady on the bus is not going to get you a date with her.

Before you jump down my throat, I am not saying that there are not countries where sexism is worse, where inequality is more rampant and where women face much higher levels of harassment and sexual violence on a daily basis. Nor am I dismissing the fact that men are more likely to be murdered, more likely to be imprisoned and more likely to commit suicide. But the fact remains that just because injustice and inequality exists elsewhere in the world does not mean that no effort should be made to eradicate it here as well.

The 8 March is International Women’s day and on Saturday, 11 March, the Women’s Rights Foundation (WRF) have organised a Women for Change march and celebration that will start at 2:30 pm outside the Parliament building in Valletta. In collaboration with other local organisations, such as Men Against Violence, Gender Equality Malta, MCWO and SOAR, the organisers aim to raise awareness of women’s rights and gender equality through talks, performances, history, art and interviews with prominent local women. Everyone, regardless of age, sex, gender, or sexual orientation, is invited to come together and celebrate equality whilst recognising the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Since its establishment four years ago, the WRF has done a vast amount of admirable work such as providing legal aid to 402 women, their children and young adolescent victims of domestic violence and intimate partner violence; three female victims of sexual harassment; eight victims of rape; one victim of racial and gender-based violence and a staggering 43 victims of human trafficking. What must be remembered is that there are many organisations in Malta such as Victim Support Malta, Appogg, and Dar Merhba Bik, which provide similar services, so these figures (which are already high for a country of Malta’s size) only represent a tiny amount of the actual number of victims.

If you are one of those people who believes that violence against women is not an issue, and that claims about inequality are nothing more than a hoax dreamt up by a supposed militant feminist agenda, then not only are you sorely misguided, but you are a part of the very problem that we are desperate to eradicate.