Minister underlines need to ‘empower’ victims of domestic abuse

Michael Farrugia on domestic violence • Video by Tim Diacono

Report by Tim Diacono

Residents of Dar Merhba Bik, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children, today held an exhibition of their handmade crafts. These included items such as jewellery and picture frames.

Social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia inaugurated the exhibition and in a brief speech said the exhibition was a means of making victims of abuse feel that they are a part of the Maltese community.

Furthermore, it provided them with skills they never thought they had that will “empower them” when they eventually leave the shelter.

Speaking to MaltaToday, Farrugia said that this exhibition goes beyond the hand-made craftworks, but its about “the empowerment of people who have been going through a difficult time and realising that they have the ability to move forward in life.”

Farrugia said that this falls under the government’s philosophy of identifying individual skills and building on them, adding that the Youth Guarantee Scheme was an example of this.

He also said that the government’s plan is to identify cases of domestic violence so that the abusers, and not the victims, will be forced to leave their homes. He described this as a “change in culture” that will result in abused women feeling more protected.

The exhibition is being held at Palazzo Ferreria in Valletta and will remain open to the public for a week.