This country profile presents the administrative data collected in Malta during the 2023–2024 data collection exercise with the support of national data providers and national researchers.
The list of 13 indicators developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the purposes of this data collection exercise is presented in Annex 1.
The data collected in other countries and the methodological report are published in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database.
Key findings of EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise
The figure below outlines the main findings from EIGE’s most recent administrative data collection exercise on intimate partner violence and domestic violence in Malta.
FIGURE 1Main findings
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Victims of intimate partner violence and domestic violence
- In 2022, 79 % of recorded victims of intimate partner violence were women, and 69 % of victims of domestic violence were women.
- Psychological violence is the most common form of intimate partner violence and domestic violence recorded by police according to the latest data.
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Intentional homicide
- In 2022, 38 % of people killed by any perpetrator were women.
- Women represented all victims of intentional homicide by intimate partners and domestic perpetrators in the same year.
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Rape
- In 2022, 92 % of victims of rape recorded by police were women.
- Police recorded 35 women victims of rape in 2022.
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Perpetrators reported and prosecuted for violence
- In 2022, 1,091 men were reported for intimate partner violence against women. In the same year, 538 men were prosecuted for this crime against women.
- In 2022, 1,364 men were reported for domestic violence against women. In the same year, 1,210 men were prosecuted for this crime against women.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence and domestic violence
EIGE’s police indicators mainly collect data on victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence and violence in ‘any relationship’. EIGE defines a victim as ‘a natural person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss which was directly caused by a criminal offence’.
Findings from EIGE’s latest data collection exercise show that intimate partner violence and domestic violence have the greatest impact on women. Women in Malta comprise 79 % of intimate partner violence victims and 69 % of domestic violence victims recorded by police (based on data from 2022).
Figure 2 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner violence and domestic violence (Indicator 1), 2022
Intimate partner violence
EIGE defines intimate partner violence as ‘any act of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occurs between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim’.
In Malta, intimate partner violence is not explicitly defined within the Criminal Code or other laws that aim to combat violence against women. Rather, it is conceptualised as a form of domestic violence. However, police data is available on the annual number of women victims of violence committed by intimate partners.
Victims of intimate partner violence
In Malta, women represent most victims of intimate partner violence recorded by police (79 % in 2022). In 2022, police recorded 831 women victims of violence committed by an intimate partner.
During the year, police recorded an even greater number of offences of intimate partner violence against women victims (1,099). This difference suggests that several women victims were subjected to violence by a partner multiple times in a single year.
The figure below presents the number of female and total victims of intimate partner violence between 2016-2022. Data for the year 2019 is not available.
Figure 3 Annual number of female and total victims of intimate partner violence (Indicator 1), 2016-2022
Results of the EU survey on gender-based violence (EU-GBV survey) show that 26 % of ever-partnered women in Malta have experienced psychological, physical (including threats), or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Survey results also reveal that 12 % of ever-partnered women in Malta who have experienced intimate partner violence during their lifetime have suffered from repeated victimisation. It is therefore likely that several of the offences of intimate partner violence recorded by police are linked to the same victims and perpetrators.
Offences of specific forms of intimate partner violence
During EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in Malta shared data on the annual number of offences of physical and psychological intimate partner violence recorded by police (Indicators 4 and 5). Data for the year 2019 is not available.
Figure 4 Annual number of offences of physical and psychological intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicators 4 and 5), 2016-2022
EIGE’s data shows that police record a greater number of offences of psychological intimate partner violence than of physical intimate partner violence against women each year. Similarly, data from the EU-GBV survey reveals that 9.4 % of ever-partnered women in Malta have experienced physical intimate partner violence (including threats) during their lifetime, while 25 % have experienced psychological intimate partner violence.
Domestic violence
EIGE defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit, irrespective of biological or legal family ties, or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence as the victim’.
In Malta, the Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Act defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of verbal, physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence causing physical and, or moral harm or suffering, including threats of such acts or coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, that occur within a family and, or intimate relationship, whether or not the perpetrator resides or has resided in the same residence with the victim, and shall also include children who are witnesses of violence within a family and, or intimate relationship’.
Victims of domestic violence
According to the latest data, women represent most domestic violence victims in Malta (69 %). In 2022, 1,136 women victims of domestic violence were recorded by police. It should be noted that the data below on victims of domestic violence includes victims of intimate partner violence.
Figure 5 Annual number of female and total victims of domestic violence (Indicator 1), 2016-2022
Between 2016 and 2022, the annual number of domestic violence victims recorded by police has increased. Fluctuations between years can be attributed to various social and institutional factors and do not necessarily imply that violence has worsened in the country over time. Specifically, the increase between 2021 and 2022 is attributed to an issue in the reporting of the police, therefore, figures are to be used with caution.
The police data recorded in Malta sheds light on the extent to which women suffer from domestic violence. Findings of the EU-GBV survey also show that, during adulthood, 16 % of women have experienced physical violence (including threats) or sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator.
Offences of specific forms of domestic violence
As part of EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in Malta shared data on the annual number of offences of physical and psychological domestic violence recorded by police (Indicators 4 and 5).
Figure 6 Annual number of offences of physical and psychological domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicators 4 and 5), 2016-2022
Intentional homicide: Number of women killed
EIGE defines femicide as ‘killing of women and girls because of their gender’. It is the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence. EIGE’s femicide classification framework distinguishes between killings committed by intimate partners and family members and other forms of femicide, which are less common.
In Malta, a legal definition of femicide was introduced through amendments to the Criminal Code in 2022. It defines femicide as killings due to intimate partner or domestic violence, reasons of honour, gender-based motives, or sexual violence. The following data retrieved by EIGE refers to intentional homicide.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner homicide and domestic homicide
In 2022, women represented 100 % of victims of intentional homicide committed by intimate partners and domestic perpetrators (2 out of 2, respectively). Conversely, in 2022, women represented only 38 % of victims of intentional homicide by any perpetrator (3 out of 8).
Figure 7 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2022
Number of women victims of intentional homicide
Between 2020 and 2022, four women victims of intentional homicide were recorded by police. During the same period, police recorded three women victims of intentional homicide committed specifically by an intimate partner.
Figure 8 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2014-2022
Most femicide victims experience non-lethal forms of gender-based violence before they are killed. Femicide is often the culmination of a pattern of abuse.
According to the EU-GBV survey, less than half of women victims of intimate partner violence in Malta report to police (39 %). For these reasons, authorities should raise awareness on the ‘warning sings’ of femicide and enhance access to support services for victims.
Sexual violence: Women victims of rape and sexual assault
EIGE defines sexual violence as ‘any sexual act performed on the victim without consent’. Sexual violence can take the form of rape or sexual assault. Rape is defined by EIGE as ‘sexual penetration, whether vaginal, anal or oral, through the use of object or body parts, without consent, using force, coercion or by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the victim’.
In Malta, Article 36 of the Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Act defines rape as ‘non-consensual vaginal, anal or oral penetration of a sexual nature of the body of another person with any bodily part or object’. It stipulates that ‘consent must be given voluntarily as the result of the person’s free will assessed in the context of the surrounding circumstances.' The provisions also apply to acts committed against former or current partners.
Victims of rape
In 2022, women represented 92 % of victims of rape recorded by police (35 out of 38). Between 2014 and 2022, the annual number of female victims of rape recorded more than tripled (from 11 to 35). It should be noted however that fluctuations between years can be attributed to various social and institutional factors and do not necessarily imply that violence has worsened in the country over time.
Figure 9 Annual number of female victims of rape in any relationship (Indicator 8), 2014-2022
Victims of sexual violence
In 2022, police recorded 134 women victims of sexual violence (including victims of rape and sexual assault). During the year, women represented 90 % of sexual violence victims recorded by police.
Figure 10 Annual number of female and total victims of sexual violence (including rape and sexual assault) in any relationship (Indicator 6), 2014-2022
Findings from the EU-GBV survey show that 11 % of women in Malta have experienced sexual violence by any perpetrator during adulthood. Moreover, 5.8 % of women have endured sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator in adulthood.
Survey data also sheds light on the risk of sexual violence against girls. Overall, 4.2 % of women in Malta stated that they have experienced sexual violence during childhood, specifically by a male perpetrator.
Perpetrators of intimate partner violence and domestic violence
Perpetrators are defined as ‘persons brought into formal contact with the police and suspected/arrested or cautioned for a criminal offence’.
Most of EIGE’s indicators collect data on all perpetrators (including male and female perpetrators). However, the data for indicators 3 and 11–13 (on perpetrators reported, prosecuted, sentenced and held in prison) refers strictly to male perpetrators.
Perpetrators of intimate partner violence
In 2022, 1,091 men were reported for intimate partner violence against women. During the same year, 99 % of men reported for intimate partner violence committed crimes against women (1,091 out of 1,107).
Due to the way the data is recorded, it is not possible to record the number of unique perpetrators. Perpetrators are recorded per offence. If they are reported for multiple offences against the same victim, they would be counted more than once.
The figure below presents the annual number of men reported for intimate partner violence against female and total victims. Data for the year 2019 is not available. The increase between 2021 and 2022 is attributed to an issue in the reporting of the police, therefore, figures are to be used with caution.
Figure 11 Annual number of male perpetrators reported for intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicator 3), 2016-2022
In 2022, 538 men were prosecuted for intimate partner violence against women. During the year, 98 % of men prosecuted for intimate partner violence had committed crimes against women (538 out of 550).
Between 2020 and 2021, the number of men prosecuted for intimate partner violence against women grew significantly. The significant increase is due to the establishment of the Gender Based and Domestic Violence Unit (GBDVU) at the Malta Police Force in 2020, which led to the provision of improved gender-disaggregated data. Therefore, the following data should be interpreted with caution.
Figure 12 Annual number of male perpetrators prosecuted for intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicator 11), 2020-2022
Perpetrators of domestic violence
In 2022, 1,364 men were reported for domestic violence against women. During the same year, 83 % of men reported for domestic violence committed crimes against women (1,364 out of 1,650).
Due to the way the data is recorded, it is not possible to record the number of unique perpetrators. Perpetrators are recorded per offence. If they are reported for multiple offences against the same victim, they would be counted more than once.
The figure below presents the annual number of men reported for domestic violence against female and total victims. Data for the year 2019 is not available.
Figure 13 Annual number of male perpetrators reported for domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicator 11), 2020-2022
In 2022, 1,210 men were prosecuted for domestic violence against women. During the year, 85 % of men prosecuted for domestic violence had committed crimes against women (1,210 out of 1,420).
Between 2020 and 2021, the number of men prosecuted for domestic violence against women grew significantly. The significant increase is due to the establishment of the Gender Based and Domestic Violence Unit (GBDVU) at the Malta Police Force in 2020, which led to the provision of improved gender-disaggregated data. Therefore, the following data should be interpreted with caution.
Figure 14 Annual number of male perpetrators prosecuted for domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicator 11), 2020-2022
Summary of data availability and next steps
Findings from EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise in Malta underscore the persistent threat of intimate partner violence and domestic violence to the safety and well-being of women and girls.
The collection of robust administrative data on intimate partner violence and domestic violence is essential to ensure effective policymaking, resource allocation, and the development of targeted interventions to support victims and prevent further violence.
EIGE’s research shows that, in Malta, police data is available on victims, offences and perpetrators of intimate partner violence and domestic violence. EIGE also managed to retrieve data on victims of specific forms of violence, including physical and psychological violence. However, data on sexual violence is available only for victims of violence committed by any perpetrator, and no data is available on economic violence.
Data is available on victims of intentional homicide committed by intimate partners, domestic perpetrators, and any perpetrator. Data has also been shared on victims of rape by any perpetrator. No data is available on victims of rape committed by intimate partners or domestic perpetrators.
Justice sector data is mostly unavailable in Malta. No data is available on protection orders for victims of violence. Although data has been shared on perpetrators reported and prosecuted for intimate partner violence and domestic violence, data is unavailable on perpetrators sentenced or held in prison for these crimes. This makes it difficult to assess the extent to which men are brought to justice for violence against women.
In May 2024, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Article 44 establishes that Member States must work with EIGE to collect administrative data on these forms of violence and must adhere to common standards. EIGE remains committed to supporting Member States in their efforts to collect comprehensive, reliable data on violence against women and domestic violence.
Further details on the data collected during EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise are available in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database and on its website.
Annexes
Annex 1: List of EIGE’s 13 indicators on intimate partner violence and domestic violence