Moviment Graffitti held a flash mob on Tuesday in front of the Msida Police Station to protest the unjust and senseless acquittal of a former police officer charged with raping and harassing a female colleague on multiple occasions in 2018.
Activists performed “The Rapist Is You”, a well-known performance piece originating from Chile, which protests the blaming of sexual assault victims. As the chant goes “It wasn’t my fault; not where I was, not how I dressed. YOU are the rapist. It’s the police. The judges. The state.”
In the verdict last week, the judge unnecessarily mentioned that the woman had avoided answering questions about her personal life, and ruled that the accused’s confession to raping his colleague could not be considered evidence because the caution was not administered according to the law at the time.
“It is a perversion of justice to absolve someone who has been charged with rape by dismissing his confession on the basis of a technicality. All this while expecting the victim to exhibit perfect behaviour and character,” Moviment Graffitti added.
The judge also mentioned that there were no eyewitnesses to corroborate the rape accusation.
“All wording by the judge seemed to imply that the woman who reported the rape and assault was in some way responsible for what happened to her,” the group said.
“We have seen this happen, time and time again to women,” Moviment Graffitti added.
In light of the insensitivity we witnessed, we reiterate calls for quicker judicial procedures, stronger training to the judiciary and a culture within our Justice system that regularly resorts to external rape trauma experts that can show empathy to victims, the group said.
This event was endorsed by the Women’s Rights Foundation, MGRM-Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement and Young Progressive Beings.
Attivisti jkantaw “il-pulizija u l-qorti huma l-istupratur tagħna” quddiem l-għassa tal-Imsida
Il-Moviment Graffitti għamel flash mob nhar it-Tlieta quddiem l-Għassa tal-Imsida biex jipprotesta kontra l-ħelsien inġust u bla sens ta’ eks pulizija akkużat li stupra u ffastidja lil kollega mara f’diversi okkażjonijiet fl-2018.
L-attivisti interpretaw “L-istupratur huwa int”, biċċa prestazzjoni magħrufa li toriġina miċ-Ċilì, li tipprotesta kontra li jingħata t-tort lill-vittmi ta’ aggressjoni sesswali. Kif tgħid l-għajta, “It-tort mhuwiex tiegħi, mhux fejn kont, mhux l-ilbies tiegħi. L-istupratur huwa INT. Il-pulizija. L-imħallfin. L-istat.”
Fil-verdett tal-ġimgħa li għaddiet, l-imħallef semmgħet bla bżonn li l-mara kienet evitat li twieġeb mistoqsijiet dwar il-ħajja personali tagħha, u ddeċidiet li l-istqarrija tal-akkużat li stupra lill-kollega tiegħu ma setgħetx titqies bħala evidenza minħabba li l-kawtela ma kinitx amministrata skont il-liġi dak iż-żmien.
“Hija perverżjoni tal-ġustizzja li teħles lil xi ħadd li jkun ġie akkużat bi stupru billi tinnega l-istqarrija tiegħu fuq bażi teknika. Dan kollu filwaqt li tistenna li l-vittma turi imġieba u karattru perfett,” żied jgħid il-Moviment Graffitti.
L-imħallef semmiet wkoll li ma kien hemm l-ebda xhieda tal-istupru.
“Il-kliem kollu tal-imħallef deher li jimplika li l-mara li rrappurtat l-istupru u l-attakk kienet b’xi mod responsabbli għal dak li ġara lilha,” qal il-grupp.
“Din rajniha tiġri lin-nisa għal darba, tnejn, tlieta,” żied jgħid il-Moviment Graffitti. Fid-dawl tan-nuqqas ta’ sensittività li rajna, aħna ntennu sejħiet għal proċeduri ġudizzjarji aktar mgħaġġla, taħriġ aktar b’saħħtu lill-ġudikatura, u kultura fis-sistema tal-Ġustizzja tagħna li regolarment tirrikorri għal esperti esterni tat-trawma tal-istupru li jistgħu juru empatija mal-vittmi, qal il-grupp.
Dan l-avveniment sar b’appoġġ ta’ Women’s Rights Foundation, MGRM u Young Progressive Beings.
