Deputy mayor stands by comment that 'women enjoy being beaten'

A Labour councillor who implied that women enjoy being beaten has stood by his remark, despite scathing criticism, as he insisted it had nothing to do with domestic violence.

Jonathan Dingli, deputy mayor of Mqabba wrote under a One News Facebook post on PN leadership contender Adrian Delia: “I must say, you should have been born a woman, because you so like being beaten.”  

The Nationalist Party demanded Dingli's resignation and an apology, saying in a statement that the comment was not only insensitive but it jarred with campaigns against domestic violence and violence against women.

The party said PN Mqabba councillors Noel Galea and Owen Sciberras were calling on the Commissioner for Domestic Violence to condemn the deputy mayor’s comment and demand an apology and his resignation.

Parliamentary Secretary for Equality Rebecca Buttigieg said comments such as this were unacceptable.

The Commission for Gender-based Violence and Domestic Violence also condemned the comments. It said such comments fuelled a misogynistic culture that led to more inequality and gender violence. When such remarks were made by a person with political responsibilities, it was essential to see accountability.

Dingli doubles down

But when contacted, Dingli dug in. 

He first referred to another commenter who appeared to defend him and imply it was a joke, and said the PN should have more serious issues to discuss. But when pressed further to explain, he said:

"The Maltese like to say that a woman enjoys being beaten (tissawwat)even while having sex with somebody. I mean, she would be enjoying it. That's it. And I wrote that it would appear that you were meant to be a woman because you enjoy being beaten. He (a presumed reference to Delia) stood once (for the leadership) and his own people beat him and he had to step down, and yet despite what they did to him, he is standing for re-election. So I compared him to a woman who is enjoying having sex, as I see Delia enjoying himself with what was done to him. That's it."

When asked whether comments such as his made light of domestic violence, he said this was not about domestic violence. 

Delia 'shocked'

Asked for his reaction to the councillor's comment, Adrian Delia said he was shocked.

“I was shocked when I saw the comment. I expect the Labour Party to not only condemn it but to also understand how somebody with that mentality can infiltrate a party. We need safeguards so that no like-minded people can creep anywhere close to a political party.”