Updated 7.58pm

A protest was held on Tuesday evening, calling for the government to do more when it comes to preventing violence against women. 

The swift move was in reaction to the death of mother-of-two Chantelle Chetcuti from Zabbar, who was repeatedly stabbed by her partner on Sunday.

She is the fourteenth woman to get killed in the past decade. Nearly all were killed by a partner - or former partner.

Gathered outside the Valletta Parliament building, demonstrators held up placards and chanted 'not one more'.  

Shortly before the protest, Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis meet with the NGOs behind the event. 

Francesca Fench Conti – who runs the popular Facebook group ‘Women for Women’ - is helping to organise the demonstration.

“We want to send a clear message to all politicians that this is their problem, their responsibility to ensure that policies are in place to protect women and their children from domestic violence.”

The organisation is among seven groups who will be taking part in the rally, including Women’s Rights Foundation, Men Against Violence, Moviment Graffitti, Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations, St Jeanne Antide Foundation and SOAR Malta. 

Those leading the protest asked people to gather outside Parliament at 7pm and wear red, orange or black – the universal colours of domestic violence.

“We are taking a stand against gender-based violence and domestic violence,” said organiser Jelena Bezzina.

“We want to see more cooperation between state services and NGOs, police and even the media, which needs to be aware of how these incidents are reported. We need to change the mentality of victim-blaming. Instead we need to focus on the perpetrator and the crime itself.”

One of two digital flyers being circulated online

Details of the event were circulated online using two digital flyers, which include the words "Let your Voice Be Heard'. 

Moviment Graffitti – which had already organised a demonstration in Valletta for International Women’s Day on March 8 against domestic violence – said it will also take part tonight in light of what happened to Ms Chetcuti.

The activist group wrote a post on its Facebook page on Tuesday morning saying: “This latest murder of a woman by her ex-partner reminds us once again of the urgent need to fight against a patriarchal society which allows these tragedies to happen. These tragic cases which make the headlines are only the tip of the iceberg and are a reflection of a society where sexism is still rife, where women and girls are subjected to harassment, abuse and different forms of violence on a daily basis and then blamed for being the victims.”