Only one in three sexual assaults are reported to police
Only one in three victims of sexual assault, who, this year, sought support from an NGO that specialised in the matter, reported their case to the police, data has revealed.
The Care for Victims of Sexual Assault (CVSA) service – run by Victim Support Malta in collaboration Social Solidarity Ministry – this year supported 58 victims of sexual assault, 53 of whom were women, Kyra Borg who heads the agency, said.
Of the 58 victims, 20 reported the crime to the police and 18 spoke up years after the abuse occurred.
“Through our service, we have noticed that many cases go unreported and that many victims are very scared to report,” Borg said.
“Victims often don’t report due to a number of reasons, some being due to experiencing a deep sense of guilt, shame, fear and re-traumatisation.
“In addition to this, the legal process is a long and thorough one which tends to push victims away from reporting the incident,” Borg added.
The reality of re-traumatisation emerged in an interview with a woman who, earlier this month, opened up to Times of Malta about her ordeal.
The woman was raped at work in June 2020, metres away from her two terrified daughters, who spent nearly an hour listening...