A conference was held regarding the various forms of domestic violence carried out using technological means, which brought together Maltese, Norwegian, and Icelandic experts as part of the project of the National Commission Against Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Equality and Reforms stated on Monday.
It added that the project is financed by the funds of the European Economic Area and Norway.
Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg spoke at the opening of the conference and remarked that the various forms of cyber violence are increasing and becoming more sophisticated. She said that although the Maltese laws already provide for these acts to be considered as criminal offences, a conference such as this serves to exchange ideas on measures, procedures, and systems to combat the phenomenon and provide help and protection to victims.
Buttigieg continued that society cannot close its eyes to this type of abuse, which she commented should be taken with the greatest seriousness, as such cyber threats can lead to more serious crimes, including that of femicide.
The Commissioner against Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, Samantha Pace Gasan, spoke of how the national strategy provides for actions and measures to strengthen the administrative areas from the point of view of prevention and prosecution. She added that it also does the same from the point of view of support to the victims who are the targets of various forms of violence facilitated by technological means.
Pace Gasan said that this trilateral project has continued to strengthen the capacity of the National Commission Against Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence by providing new experiences through the project’s partners in Norway and Iceland, where a Maltese delegation which included officials from the Police Force and from the Foundation for Social Welfare Services had the opportunity to closely see the services and structures against cyber violence that exist in the aforementioned countries.