A pilot project has been launched in 4 schools aimed at educating youths about domestic violence and 'Safe Dates' during their Personal, Social and Career Development (PSCD) lessons.

The project was launched by Education Minister Justyne Caruana and Equality Minister Owen Bonnici who stressed on the importance of tackling violent tendencies at the earliest stage possible in the development of youths.

The 'Safe Dates' project includes a film produced by the students at the Malta Visual and Performing Arts School in Hamrun which would be shown to the students and then discussed in a safe space at school.

Commissioner on gender based violence and domestic violence Audrey Friggieri explained that the information gathered from the four schools participating in the pilot project would be studied in order to possibly provide the service nationwide.

Friggieri emphasised on the importance of such initiatives since "more than one billion children worldwide are effected by some form of violence."

Justyne Caruana then explained how this campaign is not only there to raise awareness of violence but to change the mentality of children at the early stages of their lives in order to have a total change of mentality. "Violence should never be an option."

"By intervening at an early stage, our schools would become incubators to form our countries adolescents into exemplary adults in the future. They would not only learn to respect themselves but they will learn to respect others."

Owen Bonnici appealed for women caught in violent relationships to "use their voice and set themselves free. Unfortunately most of the time it is men committing violence towards women and it is of utmost importance that we send a clear message against these atrocious acts."

Given that one in four women in Malta go through some form of abuse, Bonnici stressed on the importance of 'changing the old mentality' and shaping the minds of the future.