The Situation of Rape Victims

What is a D&C ('raxkament')?

A dilation and curettage, also called a D&C (raxkament in Maltese), is a surgical procedure during which the lower part of the uterus (the cervix) is expanded, then tools are used to scrape the inner lining of the uterus and the contents are scooped out with a spoon-shaped instrument. The patient can be given general anaesthetic ("iraqqduk kollok") or local anaesthetic ("tibqa’ mqajma").

This procedure can be used to find out why a woman has heavy periods, to check if there’s cancer and more. A D&C is required if small pieces of the placenta remain inside after a miscarriage or after childbirth, since these can give rise to an infection. Occasionally, a suction D&C is done if the dead embryo does not come out on its own in a miscarriage.

 

More information on D&C can be found here.
 

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Is it really used for rape victims in Malta? Are rape victims really ‘cleaned out’ ('imnaddfin') or have semen sucked out if they go to hospital?

Rape victims are not treated with a D&C (raxkament), or a "washout."

 

In fact, women scheduled to have a D&C are warned not to have any sex from the time of their last period till the day of the procedure. This is a rule that doctors in Malta stick to strictly, otherwise they may be accused of having performed an abortion. If there’s any suggestion of the woman having had sex in this interval, the procedure is postponed. A negative pregnancy test does not help since it may not show pregnancy in the earliest stages. It is illegal in Malta to end a pregnancy at any stage. Doctors who ignore this law risk losing their licence and can get a 4-year jail sentence.

The use of D&C (raxkament) or being ‘cleaned out’ as a treatment option for rape victims to prevent pregnancy is NOT true.

 

Malta is the only EU state that bans abortion even in cases of rape. This means that if a woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest, she is forced to give birth.

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More information on Malta's abortion law can be found here.

 

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Is the morning-after pill (MAP) available at Mater Dei Hospital?

The morning-after pill (MAP) was approved by authorities in Malta almost 3 years ago. Unfortunately, it's STILL NOT available at Mater Dei Hospital, even against payment. Rape victims, who may be admitted to hospital, often cannot go to a pharmacy and buy it. They have to rely on relatives to buy it for them once shops outside the hospital open, and not all victims have someone to help them out. We know that the longer the MAP is delayed, the less likely it is to work, and with abortion in Malta being illegal even in cases of rape, the MAP is the victims' only hope of avoiding an unwanted birth.

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You can find more information on the morning after pill here.