Women’s shelter refuses donation of councillor who said women enjoy being beaten

An emergency shelter for women and children has refused to accept a donation from a deputy mayor who made a public apology after saying women “enjoy being beaten”.

The Dar Merħba Bik Foundation turned down a donation from Mqabba deputy mayor Jonathan Dingli, who offered two months’ honorarium after coming under fire for a controversial Facebook comment that said “women enjoy being beaten”.

“The donation has been declined due to the sensitivity of the matter,” a spokesperson for Dar Merħba Bik told Times of Malta.

“We are acting in accordance with our values at Dar Merħba Bik Foundation.”

The foundation offers emergency accommodation and therapeutic services to women and children experiencing domestic and gender-based violence.

In response to the donation being declined, Dingli said he respected the decision: “They gave their reasons in their response, and I respect that. I have nothing more to add, as for me this case is closed.”

The controversy began when Dingli had stated in a comment on social media that Nationalist Party MP Adrian Delia “should have been a woman because he enjoys a beating”.

He was then contacted by Times of Malta to clarify his comments, only to double down on his earlier remarks, saying that women “derived sexual pleasure from being hit”.

“The Maltese like to say that a woman enjoys being beaten (tissawwat) even while having sex with somebody,” he said at the time. The comment sparked immediate outrage.

Dingli later issued a brief apology via Facebook.

“What I said some time ago was taken out of context… In fact, I wrote that wrongdoing doesn’t get you anywhere…. For this reason, I apologise if anyone felt offended.”

Dingli had initially announced his attempted donation in a Facebook post two weeks earlier. In it, he acknowledged that his remarks could have caused offence, especially to women who have experienced domestic violence.

“Therefore, to send a strong message that violence against women in any form is never acceptable, I will be handing over my honorarium for the next two months to Dar Merħba Bik,” he wrote.

The following day, Dar Merħba Bik issued a social media statement distancing itself from the pledge, noting that it had not been contacted at the time of Dingli’s announcing his planned donation.

“As a foundation, we condemn degrading statements towards any person and/or group,” the foundation said in the post. “We will continue to emphasise how much work is still needed to promote dignity, respect and equality. This is the only truly ethical and accountable way to rectify any wrongdoings.”

The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence also strongly condemned Dingli’s earlier remarks, saying they fuelled a misogynistic culture that contributed to inequality and gender-based violence. The commission added that accountability was especially important when such comments were made by people in public office.

The Malta Women’s Lobby called the comments “deeply offensive and misogynistic” and described Dingli’s apology as “an absurd justification” that showed no real remorse.

Labour deputy leader for party affairs, Alex Agius Saliba said there was “no need for further action” against Dingli.

“That same evening Jonathan Dingli apologised for the comment he made on the same platform where he wrote it (Facebook)… Therefore, I don’t see the need for further action.”

However, Mqabba’s Nationalist councillors are calling for Dingli’s resignation at the next council meeting.

The political group Momentum has urged the Labour Party to remove Dingli from his role.