138 persons sought refuge in domestic violence shelters

There were 138 domestic violence victims who sought shelter in specialised homes last year and almost half had children with them, figures tabled in parliament show.

The information shows that 64 of those who sought refuge had children with them. The parliamentary reply did not specify how many children accompanied the adults.

Dar Merħba Bik run by the Sisters of Charity, a religious order, hosted the largest number of victims in 2024 with 65 persons, 30 of which had children with them. A second home operated by the same religious order, Dar Bhakita, hosted three victims of domestic abuse, two of which had their children with them.

The state facility Għabex, run by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, hosted 56 victims, 22 of which had children, while Il-Milja, operated by Fondazzjoni Sebħ, opened its doors to 14 victims, 10 of which had their children with them.

The figures were tabled in parliament by Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon in reply to a question by Opposition MP Graziella Attard Previ, who asked about the number of persons who sought refuge in shelters for domestic violence victims last year.

Although the parliamentary reply did not specify the gender of those who sought shelter, according to the annual report for 2024 released earlier this year by the Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, 75% of victims of domestic violence are women.

The annual report, which supplied statistics for 2023, shows that in that year 3,589 persons used the various domestic violence services available for victims. The term ‘services’ also includes the police, when victims file a report, as well as emergency health services, apart from those who seek shelter or other forms of social support.