Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar has called for easier access to Malta’s Sex Offenders Register, arguing that the current bureaucratic process protects perpetrators more than victims.
In response to a recent opinion piece on Lovin Malta, Cutajar said that the system must evolve to allow citizens to access vital information without having to go through the courts.
“There’s definitely room for change,” she wrote, stressing that streamlined access would better serve public safety.
She pointed to the UK’s Sarah’s Law as a model worth considering. Under this system, parents and guardians can request information from police if they are concerned that someone in contact with their children may have a record of sexual offences. The police then decide whether to disclose that information.
“If Malta were to adopt a similar framework, it would simplify the process and offer more reassurance to families,” Cutajar noted. “Vulnerable members of our society — especially children — deserve the strongest safeguards. Bureaucracy only serves the aggressor, not the victim.”
Currently, only organisations responsible for children’s welfare — such as schools or care providers — can request limited access to the register. They’re required by law to do so when hiring, but the process involves filing through the First Hall of the Civil Court via a lawyer, making it slow and expensive.
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