The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence on Tuesday condemned the femicide of Nicolette Ghirxi.

Ghirxi was killed in her home in Birkirkara, with her alleged aggressor, Edward Johnston, later being killed by police following a confrontation in St Julian's.

As further details emerge from the ongoing investigations on this case by authorities, the Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence notes that this case marks the second femicide of the year, the commission said. "Similar to the case of Ms Sandra Ramirez," who was allegedly murdered by her former partner last January, "Nicolette Ghirxi was murdered by her former partner at her own home after ending the relationship with the perpetrator," the commission said.

In most cases, femicide occurs within the context of intimate partner violence, where victims are murdered by current or former partners, often following a history of domestic violence. Deeply ingrained societal norms, gender inequalities and gender stereotypes continue to reinforce abusive societal attitudes and behaviours, with femicide being the worst manifestation of gender-based violence."

"In this case, repeated harassment by the perpetrator was reported prior to the murder. Harassment manifests itself in different forms on repeated unwanted behaviour, often leaving victims feeling silenced," the Commission said. "The Survey on Safety and Wellbeing (NSO, 2022) reported that 76.3% of persons who experienced repeated unwanted behaviour did not report the latest incident to the police, as most respondents (55.1%) believed that the issue was not serious. Raising awareness on all forms of gender-based violence, emphasising the realities and consequences of every form is essential, particularly with young adults and children to foster a safer culture which promotes zero tolerance for any form of violence. Directly or indirectly, abuse impacts families, communities and society as a whole and tragic cases of femicide underscores the significance of collective trauma and responsibility and action to support victims of gender-based violence."

Encouraging victims to report abusive experiences and seek professional assistance from existing support services is crucial and it is a fundamental element of the National Strategy on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence (2023-2028), it said. 

The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence together with stakeholders will continue enhancing collaborative efforts on a national level to strengthen the fight against gender-based violence and domestic violence primarily through legal amendments, constant reviews of existing policies and procedures, and continuous awareness-raising efforts to strongly encourage victims of gender-based and domestic violence to utilise professional support services, it said.

The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence sends its condolences to Ms Nicolette Ghirxi's family, friends and loved ones.