[WATCH] First responders, court officials dealing with abuse victims need more training, support workers say

Foundation that works with victims of domestic violence says that unless the relevant authorities and stakeholders accept that training is needed to deal with the problem, Malta will never get anywhere

Elaine Compagno co-founder of the SOAR
Elaine Compagno co-founder of the SOAR

For victims of domestic abuse to be protected, authorities have to understand that abuse in relationships manifests itself as patterns of behaviour and not simply an accumulation of isolated incidents, a support worker said.

Elaine Compagno co-founder of the SOAR service at the St Jeanne Antide Foundation called for more training of officials who come in contact with such cases.

Compagno spoke to MaltaToday after the signing of a financing agreement between government and the St Jeanne Antide Foundation for the provision of SOAR.

She was asked to react to the GREVIO report by the Council of Europe that noted how judges appear to have an "inadequate understanding of the change in paradigm in proving rape, of the role and importance of emergency barring orders and protection orders in breaking the cycle of violence".

The report also said that police officers who routinely receive reports or respond to callouts are not trained on the dynamics of domestic violence, nor on the gendered aspect of such violence, its risk factors and the need to ensure victim protection.

"I agree with what the report is saying; we have been saying this for a few years now that sensitivity training to understand the characteristics of domestic violence, how it manifests in relationships, that it is not an incident, it is a pattern of behaviour; this is crucial for victims and survivors to be protected and to get justice in court," Compagno said.

Domestic Violence Commissioner, Audrey Friggieri
Domestic Violence Commissioner, Audrey Friggieri

She added that Malta cannot effectively start to combat violence against women if it does not understand the violence perpetrated against them. "We will never get to where we need to be unless we accept that we need training," she said.

Also speaking to MaltaToday, Gender-based and Domestic Violence Commissioner, Audrey Friggieri said that the commission was currently investing energy and resources into training for all frontlines.

"One must understand that the GREVIO report was a result of meetings which took place earlier this year, in the meantime, the commission has invested a lot," she said.

Friggieri said that from tomorrow training will begin with GPs, as well as people working within the courts, specifically parole officers. "Lots of work is being done," she said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Nationalist MP Claudette Buttigieg condemned comments made by Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis when he insisted that members of the judiciary were "more than competent in their respective areas", in a reaction to the damning report.

Buttigieg said that the report highlighted what the Opposition has been saying for years, namely that the government has not effectively been working against violence against woman, and that there was no serious knowledge and commitment in this area.

READ MORE: Judges show little sensitivity to victims of domestic violence, Council of Europe experts say

During today's signing ceremony, Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon signed on an agreement through which the government will finance services provided by the foundation for the next three years. Government will pass on €130,500 to the foundation to help survivors of domestic abuse reintegrate into society, Falzon said.