Moviment Graffitti remembers victims of femicide on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Moviment Graffitti is remembering the victims of femicide in Malta on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with two days of activities highlighting the continuous cycle of violence – physical, domestic, psychological and emotional – suffered by women.
Today, Moviment Graffitti together with activists from Young Progressive Beings and Women’s Rights Foundation performed “L-istupratur huwa int” (You are the Rapist) as part of the wider ‘No Excuse for Violence and Abuse’ demonstration held outside the Law Courts in Valletta.
“It was not my fault, not where I was, not my clothes,” was a key line from this performance, which discusses the pervasive phenomenon of victim-blaming. Originating in Chile, the women’s chant of “You are the rapist” is also directed to society and the institutions, who are also guilty of failing to treat violence against women with the urgency it demands.
This was also reflected in the conclusions of a damning report issued by the Council of Europe which accused the Maltese authorities including police and judiciary of their insensitivity towards women and cases of domestic or sexual abuse.
Activists also wore masks covered in blood as a reminder that femicide silences women in the most violent of ways and carried placards with the names of 16 women murdered in Malta because of their gender since 2010. The shoes on display, meanwhile, symbolised women who went missing.
Today, Moviment Graffitti is also organising an open mic titled There’s Power in her Words. Women are invited to share their powerful words to raise awareness about the issues they face.
“Society continues to dismiss misogynistic microaggressions as trivial. We continue to accept sexist behaviour because ‘boys will be boys’. We do not call it out when in the company of others. We continue to insist that ‘there are always two sides to the story,’” the group said in a statement. “Yet, the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 in the UK reverberated around the world. It reminded us why women all across the world, Malta included, still walk home with their keys between their knuckles. Society continues to refuse to make the connection between misogynistic microaggressions and these extreme violations.”
“Across Maltese media institutions, we can still see sexist behaviour on our TV screens, sexist headlines and reporting which trivialises sensitive cases in court relating to the abuse of women and power.”
The group noted how only one in three sexual assaults are reported to the police, with victims sometimes aware that they risk shame, guilt and re-traumatisation. “Instead of adopting a zero-tolerance stance towards gender-based violence, law enforcement and judicial institutions make it difficult for women to find justice and support.”
“These are not exceptions, but symptoms of a society which refuses to accept its failings when it comes to eliminating violence against women. This also depends on ending the dominating culture of patriarchy. Women deserve better.”
In-Nisa Jixirqilhom Aħjar
Il-Moviment Graffitti jiftakar fil-vittmi tal-femiċidju fil-Jum Internazzjonali għall-Eliminazzjoni talVjolenza fuq in-Nisa
Il-Moviment Graffitti qed ifakkar il-vittmi tal-femiċidju f’Malta fil-Jum Internazzjonali għall-Eliminazzjoni tal-Vjolenza fuq in-Nisa b’jumejn ta’ attivitajiet li jenfasizzaw iċ-ċiklu kontinwu ta’ vjolenza – fiżika, domestika, psikoloġika u emozzjonali – li jħabbtu wiċċhom magħha n-nisa.
Illum, il-Moviment Graffitti flimkien ma’ attivisti tal-Young Progressive Beings u Women’s Rights Foundation tellgħu l-prestazzjoni “L-istupratur huwa int” bħala parti mid-dimostrazzjoni ‘No Excuse for Violence and Abuse’ li saret barra l-Qrati tal-Ġustizzja fil-Belt Valletta.
“Ma kienx tort tiegħi, ma kienx ħtija ta’ fejn kont, jew il-ħwejjeġ li kont liebsa,” kienet linja ewlenija minn din il-prestazzjoni li tiddiskuti l-fenomenu mifrux tat-tort li jingħata lill-vittmi. L-għajta tan-nisa ta’ “L-istupratur huwa int” oriġinat fiċ-Ċilì u hija diretta wkoll lejn is-soċjetà u l-istituzzjonijiet, li huma wkoll ħatja talli naqsu milli jittrattaw is-suġġett tal-vjolenza fuq in-nisa bl-urġenza li jeħtieġ.
Dan kien rifless ukoll fil-konklużjonijiet ta’ rapport ta’ kundanna maħruġ mill-Kunsill tal-Ewropa li akkuża l-awtoritajiet Maltin fosthom il-pulizija u l-ġudikatura għall-insensittività tagħhom lejn in-nisa u każijiet ta’ abbuż domestiku jew sesswali.
L-attivisti libsu wkoll maskri miksija bid-demm biex ifakkru li l-femiċidju jsikket lin-nisa bl-aktar mod vjolenti, u ġarrew kartelluni bl-ismijiet ta’ 16-il mara maqtula f’Malta minħabba l-ġeneru tagħhom mill-2010. Iż-żraben esebiti issimbolizzaw nisa li sfaw nieqsa.
Illum, il-Moviment Graffitti qed jorganizza open mic bit-titlu There’s Power in her Words. In-nisa ġew mistiedna jaqsmu kliem b’saħħtu biex joħolqu kuxjenza dwar il-kwistjonijiet li jaffaċċjaw.
“Is-soċjetà qed tkompli tiċħad il-mikroaggressjonijiet misoġini u tqishom trivjali. Inkomplu naċċettaw imġieba sessista għax ‘is-subien subien jibqgħu’. Ma nikkundannawhiex meta nkunu fil-kumpanija ta’ ħaddieħor. Inkomplu ninsistu li ‘dejjem trid tisma’ ż-żewġ naħat tal-istorja,’” qal il-grupp fi stqarrija. “Madankollu, il-qtil ta’ Sarah Everard f’Marzu 2021 fir-Renju Unit inħass madwar id-dinja kollha. Il-qtil fakkarna għaliex in-nisa madwar id-dinja kollha, inkluż f’Malta, għadhom jimxu lejn id-dar biċ-ċwievet bejn għakshom. Is-soċjetà għadha tirrifjuta li tagħmel konnessjoni bejn mikroaggressjonijiet misoġini u dawn il-vjolazzjonijiet estremi.”
“Fost istituzzjonijiet tal-midja Maltija, għadna naraw imġieba sessista fuq l-iskrins tat-televixin tagħna, aħbarijiet sessisti u rappurtar li jibbanalizza każijiet sensittivi fil-qorti relatati mal-abbuż tan-nisa u l-poter.”
L-organizzazzjoni innotat kif huwa biss wieħed minn kull tliet attakki sesswali li jiġu rrappurtati lill-pulizija, bil-vittmi kultant konxji li jistgħu jsofru l-mistħija, il-ħtija u t-trawmatizzazzjoni mill-ġdid. “Minflok ma jadottaw pożizzjoni ta’ tolleranza żero lejn il-vjolenza bbażata fuq il-ġeneru, l-infurzar tal-liġi u l-istituzzjonijiet ġudizzjarji jagħmluha diffiċli għan-nisa biex isibu ġustizzja u appoġġ.”
“Dawn mhumiex eċċezzjonijiet, iżda sintomi ta’ soċjetà li tirrifjuta li taċċetta n-nuqqasijiet tagħha meta tiġi biex telimina l-vjolenza fuq in-nisa. Dan jiddependi wkoll mit-tmiem tal-kultura dominanti tal-patrijarkat. In-nisa jixirqilhom aħjar.”
