We are once again in a very sad place. Once again, the country has had to salute one of its daughters, who was snatched at her prime, way too early.  Nicolette Ghirxi was murdered in her Birkirkara apartment, earlier this month, shocking an entire nation.

Memories of Bernice Cassar's brutal murder in 2022 are still fresh in our collective minds, as well as those of Pelin, Paulina and many other women who have faced a similar fate. After each harrowing episode we promise ourselves to make it the last. We always tell ourselves that we need to ramp up our actions to avoid the next waste of life. And yet here we are again.

Yes, we did make some valuable strides forward in this field. For example, the newly instituted department within the Police Corps dedicated to dealing with domestic violence has reportedly more than doubled its personnel as now it numbers 60 officers. This has also meant that the number of reports increased substantially, exerting considerable strain on its resources.

However, it is evident that enough is not being done.

I read with interest Dr Lara Dimitrijevic's comments about the situation in the wake of the latest femicide case, as she distinguished between the law and enforcement. The women's rights activist, in fact, concedes that considerable progress has been done on a legal front, as Malta now has a much more robust law that deals with such cases; however, protection is not as easily available as it should be.

The fact that for victims of domestic abuse to obtain protection, they need to pass through an entire legal process is a tragedy in itself. As the system stands today, women who are at risk of domestic violence are required to make an official report, after which the police investigate the case and charge the aggressor. Then and only then are the victims granted protection in the form of a restraining or protection order.

This process is far too long-drawn, and its risks become more evident every time we learn of yet another tragedy. This must be addressed, as soon as possible.

On a related yet separate note, I feel that it is everyone's responsibility to nurture a better nature to the way we deal with each other. Given the exaggerated lifestyles we are living nowadays, our extravagant ambitions, and excessive aspirations, we find ourselves chasing our tails, having forgotten how to conduct our relationships.

In no way am I justifying any form of violence or saying that acts of misogynistic domestic violence can ever be excused because of external causes. Each case, each report, each cry remains a tragedy which requires swift and direct legal action.

Yet, I feel that as a country we have become too quick to anger, too quick to act aggressively and show how mighty we are. We do not listen anymore, and merely hear to be able to reply. In many cases, we have lost our humanity.

This will not solve the issues overnight, but I believe we need to start to learn how to get along with each other again. We need a new cultural change, as we rediscover our values of community and fellowship, which are quickly disappearing from our midst.

I pass on my sincere condolences to the loved ones of Nicolette Ghirxi, and my thoughts to the families of all the other victims who have lived their tragedies again in the past weeks.

 

Alexander Mangion is the Deputy Mayor of Attard.