Updated 11.10am with ADPD statement

People in the 'system' are yet to take responsibility for Bernice Cassar's death and apologise for it, her sister said on the first anniversary of the murder.

"Somebody must assume responsibility and apologise to her family, especially her children,"  Alessia Cilia Portelli said. 

Cilia Portelli was speaking to family friends and several activists, who gathered in Kordin early on Wednesday, at the same time Cassar was shot dead on her way to work exactly one year ago.

She said her sister did everything she could to protect herself - she fled her home, reported to the police multiple times and sought professional help. Yet somehow, the system failed her, and it remains unclear who is responsible.

The family laid flowers beneath a plaque in her memory and held a minute of silence. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Led by Cassar's visibly emotional parents and siblings, the small crowd walked silently to the spot where Cassar was murdered.

Just before the clock struck 8am - which was the exact time Cassar was shot - they laid flowers beneath a plaque in her memory and held a minute of silence.

Then Cilia Portelli delivered a short address.

"The tarmac under your feet is the same tarmac on which the blood of Bernice was spilt," she said, urging the people gathered there to also look around them and listen to the street noises.

"As you can see, this is no remote or isolated area, and it's not dark. There are factories here, workplaces, and even a school, and yet, after she was shot, Bernice spent around seven minutes screaming for help in vain."

Bernice's sister, Alessia Cilia Portelli, delivered an address surrounded by her parents and siblings. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

An inquiry into Cassar's murder concluded the state ‘system’ failed the 40-year-old mother-of-two, particularly because of a lack of resources and a heavy caseload.

Despite the inquiry's recommendations, Cilia Portelli said, the system is hardly changing quickly enough.

"We are here today for all those who still face difficulties like Bernice and for those who sought help and did not find it," she said.

"The system needs to change as quickly as possible."

Bernice's father, Joseph, and her sister, Clarice, at the murder site on Wednesday. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

What is the government doing?

In a press conference on Tuesday, the government said more than 70 per cent of the inquiry's recommendations have been implemented.

It said it will present a bill next year to amend the definition of domestic violence in the law to make it less broad.

The government also announced police will be empowered to issue protection orders when they deem fit, rather than requiring victims to file a court request for one.

They will also be proceeding with court action within 14 days if those orders are broken.

But on Wednesday, Cilia Portelli said 14 days is too long.

"Have we learnt nothing? For Bernice, 14 days would have been too long. She only had nine days after the first report and just 24 hours after the second. And she was murdered," she said.

"Victims will have died before action is taken."

Lawyer and Graffiti activist Desiree Attard also said the system must change quickly if it needs to.

The plaque on the spot where the mother-of-two was shot. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

"The system is not changing quickly enough," she said. "But we will remain here and we will continue to fight for Bernice and all the victims of violence."

Bernice Cassar was murdered while driving to work on November 22 last year. Her estranged husband Roderick Cassar has been charged with the femicide and is pleading not guilty.

Bernice Cassar was murdered while driving to work on November 22 last year. Photo: Facebook

Cassar had filed multiple police reports against her ex-husband and days before she was killed, her lawyer pleaded with the police to take action against him for breaching a protection order.

ADPD: Women still not protected enough 

ADPD - the Green Party leader Sandra Gauci said more resources were needed to protect domestic violence victims, support survivors and educate perpetrators. 

"However the state continues to fail women by disregarding our health, wellbeing, and safety," she said, adding that the party would be joining a demonstration on Saturday in Valletta to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.