Recent survey findings on attitudes towards sexual violence in Malta exposed deeply entrenched misogynistic beliefs that continue to perpetuate victim-blaming, undermine survivors, and hinder gender equality, the Malta Women's Lobby said on Thursday.
The survey, by Eurobarometer, the EU's statistical arm, found that one in five people in Malta feel a woman is partly to blame if she suffers sexual violence while drunk or high, with a tenth believing women are simply playing hard to get when they turn down a sexual proposal. A third of those surveyed said women make up or exaggerate rape claims.
"The survey’s revelation that one in five respondents blame women for suffering sexual violence while drunk or high is a stark reflection of the persistent culture of victim-blaming in Malta. Such attitudes deflect responsibility from perpetrators, reinforce harmful stereotypes and discourage survivors from coming forward," the lobby said.
Equally alarming. it said, was the finding that one in three believe that women fabricate or exaggerate rape claims — an attitude that delegitimised genuine survivors and fostered an environment of scepticism and inaction.
Online harassment and digital safety
The group said the notion that women who have their intimate photos leaked are “partly to blame” (endorsed by 55% of respondents) reflected a glaring lack of understanding of consent and privacy in the digital age.
"No one should ever be held accountable for the violation of their privacy; instead, the focus must shift to condemning those who exploit and abuse such vulnerabilities," the lobby group insisted.
It said that while the survey finding of high disapproval of physical violence was encouraging, the finding that one-third of respondents found financial control by male partners acceptable was "beyond troubling".
"Financial abuse is a form of coercion and control that traps women in abusive relationships, undermining their autonomy and independence. Addressing this issue requires robust public awareness campaigns to educate the population about the less visible, but equally damaging, forms of abuse."
The group said the survey provided a glimpse of progress. Maltese respondents overwhelmingly disapproved of catcalling, physical violence, and control over a partner’s social media. However, these positive findings were overshadowed by the widespread acceptance of attitudes that trivialised women’s autonomy, which ranged from dismissing online abuse to accepting certain forms of relationship control.
It insisted it is the duty of the state to build a society where victim-blaming, misogyny, and gender-based violence are unequivocally condemned and eradicated. It, therefore, urged the government and relevant authorities to address these troubling attitudes through comprehensive educational and awareness-raising campaigns, and to do so with concrete action, rather than the "usual lip-service".
"The slow pace of legal proceedings related to domestic violence and femicide court cases, as well as the freedoms that the Maltese judicial system bestows upon perpetrators are clear indications that these serious crimes are treated lightly and not regarded with the gravity that they deserve. Such circumstances, essentially promote the shameful notion that women’s lives and the safety of women and girls are not a priority for our institutions. As a country we can and must do better in this area," the group said.