A Third Application for the Malta University to study International Relations and Psychology
alexiei.dingli@um.edu.mt
Good Morning Alexiei,
I would like to take this opportunity to seek your approval to continue my personal training efforts on St George Square in Valletta, as there has been a complaint brought to my attention by local police with regards to mounting a target on the fence that boarders the second fountain (the fence in question faces the Valletta Police Station). There are no permanent fixtures and training usually takes an hour in the mornings.
At this stage I am training alone, which is often witnessed by serving officers of the Valletta Police Station, however, in the past week I have been asked to train a few others, which may require your prior consent.
As a result of the latest rape figures published in the Malta Times, which have doubled since 2015 (and we are only half way through the year), I am seriously considering taking on female students free of charge as part of an anti-violence campaign that I aim to continue; a campaign that I started after ceasing co-habitation with my husband Mr Bradley Agius who subjected me to family violence (http://voicebohx.wix.com).
Despite the family violence, I did not at any point assume the role of a victim but simply was in no position to hit back, as my strength and fighting abilities superseded his. It was always on my mind that should I have returned his violence with my fists and seriously injured him as a result, I would have most definitely answered to police and mental health professionals being unable to prove ‘the act of self-defence’, given my strong history of a Black Belt Instructor where I successfully coached primary school children into tournaments and was also a club champion with two different clubs; ...a style of martial arts that teaches self control before self defence.
I have no income what so ever and involuntary homeless and further compromised on nutrition almost on a daily basis. I trust you can appreciate that my health, safety and general fitness is of utmost importance – hence my training schedule – and being able to involve other female’s will help my antiviolence campaign to keep moving forward until such time I have adequate communication resources for marketing and anticipated sponsorship deals to take to the streets, where permits will be sought through the correct channels via the Valletta Police Office.
Yesterday I made a new application to the Malta University to study Politics, (BOA in Communications and International Relations 2016/17) and I hope this time it will be successful, as this is my third application in three years. Last year I was rejected for the same course on the grounds that I could not provide documentation to prove my A Level’s in English, despite applying for mature age entry, which requires no documents. I am Australian with dual passport and English is my first language.
With my application this year, I have attached (along with a motivational letter), a copy of my CV, an expired covering letter and a thirty-four page document that I compiled singlehandedly for A Proposal for Europe’s First Rehabilitation Centre for Women and Children of Domestic Violence titled, ’TRENTESTA’; which was handed in person to the OPM along with signed petition pages (attached) to demonstrate my competency.
In my motivational letter, I quoted the following brief from the above mentioned proposal:
I aim to operate very successful campaigns, taking to the streets in the near future to (a) raise awareness and (b) give survivors of Domestic Violence a voice;;; I hope to eventually open Europe’s first rehabilitation centre here in Malta where measures will be taken by way of direct intervention to build up the women (and children) affected and increase the possibility for control over their own lives for their right to safety and protection of life – a core human right – and eventually see a steady decline on the current statistics, which are alarming and unacceptable for such a small island.
We can never let reference to traditions, culture or histories legitimize violence against women.
It is my experience that changes in this country are made through Politics and when Politicians fail to act, everything stays the same; ...our current figures on Domestic Violence JUST CAN’T!
My passion for politics started with a public speech I gave in Australia (titled ‘The Church Speech’; attached), about breaking cycles of abuse for survivors of Family Violence and here in Malta, I hope to use my anticipated university education to make a difference to the current domestic violence figures, which are alarming for such a small island. There is no excuse good enough for abuse!
I would appreciate it Mr Dingli, if you could kindly exercise your good order as a key figure of the Valletta Region, to allow my training to continue on the St George Square in Valletta, in particular mounting my target on the fence (leaving no scuff marks) and including other females, as may be required from time to time; while I am taking measures on a personal scale to move matters forward (...university application and in the near future, possible court action against my husband for an immediate maintenance order since I am practically unemployable in this condition).
Please don’t hesitate to make contact with me in person or via email reply to ole1273a@gmail.com at your nearest convenience.
Thank you, for your time and I look forward to your response.
Best Regards,
Anne Agius (Gelicrisio) – 225213L
4.20 The Church Speech – 2001
While at the Fremantle refuge in Western Australia, I noticed staff paying close attention to my parenting, watching on in admiration for the way I was handling my children and particularly with regards to supervision.
Then one night after I put the kids to bed a new resident entered who wasn’t coping very well after being handed over by police bruised and battered; she was in a bad way. I sat down with her over a cup of coffee and introduced myself to make her feel welcome. A social worker warned me (as I am known to speak my mind) to tread carefully, as she is in a fragile state and went on to remind me that not everyone is as strong as I am. I replied with, ‘then why don’t you teach them to be?’ and she said, ‘until you’re a qualified social worker, you will stay out of it thanks’.
I realised what the problem was, aside from the abuse she had just escaped; she was being treated like a helpless victim, which is the worst thing you can do to someone who is seeking to change their circumstances of abuse.
So I thought I’d take the initiative, or a risk more to the point, and speak to her as if she was not abused but recognising her injuries at the same time. I was talking to her about choices and how sometimes in life we just make the wrong ones and further added that under no circumstances did she deserve what happened to her; however, in the spirit of positive change, we must take full responsibility for our own behaviours NOT THEIRS... This mindset was an alternative to a method of thinking that keeps us stuck in victimhood if we are not careful in how we process our life experiences. I quickly established where her interests and abilities lie and shifted the conversation onto them, encouraging her to pursue her dreams. Then I suggested a daily routine to help her feel better and of course, meditation for the non-religious to calm her mind.
Of course we bonded very quickly as she found a friend who understood her but this time I kept her at an arm’s length because of what happened with Melanie (the story listed above). At the end of one week the results were already taking shape. The social worker pulled me aside and asked me what I said to her, ‘nothing that you couldn’t have said, I just took a different approach’ I said, ‘and stopped treating her like a victim, that’s all’. She was very impressed and invited me to give a public speech at the local church this coming Sunday in front of politicians who they specifically invited to gain much needed funding; the priest was going to give a speech in support.
I agreed on the condition that she doesn’t tell me what to do. She didn’t like it very much because she had what she thought was a winning speech printed on paper (that she spent all night putting together and wanted me to read off it). I pointed out to her that if just reading she wants me to do, she can get anyone to do it, as there women in the refuge who read much better than me, me being dyslexic; however, if she wants me to work my God given gifts, then she’s going to have to give a blank canvas and move to one side for me to do what I do best – communication from the heart. I further explained that due to the way I process information, I do not do scripts and work off memory and life experience, which I believe is more effective than anything you can read out of a book. ‘Ok’ she said in a very nervous and untrusting tone of voice, ‘let’s do it Anne, we need this funding and please don’t stuff it up for me’.
Sunday came and all the children from the women’s refuge, including mine, were placed in day care (in-house), as they would only get bored and cause a distraction. It was my turn to get up on the alter and the priest handed me the microphone. He asked where my script was and I told him I don’t need one; he wished me luck but the look his face was almost expecting me to fail. To my surprise I gave a killer speech, which got a standing ovation when I finished. This was the first time I publically spoke in front of a large crowd, let alone politicians and I loved it – I was almost going to pursue study in politics.
I first gave a brief history of my personal experiences of domestic violence, speaking my mind from the bottom of heart and then I went on to explain the problems as to why women return to their abusive partners (because the cycle of abuse is not yet broken). I simply added that the abusive addictive cycle of domestic violence is an addiction like any other but not recognised to be one, an area that lacks much needed funding. And went on... ‘It is my understanding those cycles of abuse can affectively be broken by way rehabilitation following the 12 Step Program given to alcoholics’. I communicated all this over the microphone and added that with help of people of influence such as politicians (like themselves), we can not only reduce the numbers (to continue to see a decline) but also be proud to promote safer communities for our daughter and our daughter’s daughters and especially our son’s who grow up copying what they see if nothing is done, bearing in mind that the same sex parent is the strongest influence impacting heavily on child’s mind during the most crucial developmental years... and I went on and on just like this. I was only meant to give a half an hour speech, which turned into an hour and nobody complained while they were all sitting up grabbing every word I spoke.
The refuge got the funding they needed and the politicians were asking for my information. They offered me employment working with women and children of domestic violence from an office location as a case worker but only after undergoing training and completing my certificate III in Social Work; which was all paid for via government funding, organised by them.
I completed my certificate in The Morley Learning Centre but did not pursue a career in social work because I was quickly employed at a local bank once the kids and I left the refuge; and being a single mother, I can only stretch my time so far.
Our Other Websites:
http://voicebohx.wix.com/anne
http://pikkedwithlove.wix.com/olivebeads
http://cougarclub33.wix.com/cougar-club
http://onenation4nondiscr.wix.com/we-are-one
BEST REGARDS,
ANNE AGIUS (DYER - GELICRISIO)
