Abuse, violence cases reported to crisis centre surge 30% to five-year high, says parliamentary committee

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Cases of abuse and violence handled by the One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) rose by over 30% over the last five years, says Rodziah Ismail.

The Parliament Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Women and Children Affairs and Social Development deputy chairman said the sharp rise resulted in a five-year high of 12,906 cases in 2025, from 9,652 cases in 2020.

“Female victims in particular made up the majority of cases, with 10,176 cases in 2025 being female victims compared to 2,730 cases involving male victims.

“These figures show a clear imbalance of risk towards women and girls,” she told the Dewan Rakyat in her briefing on improvements to the OSCC on Thursday (July 9).

Rodziah noted that domestic violence remained the main instigator for OSCC cases, at 7,689, or about 60% of cases in 2025.

Rodziah also noted that cases of sexual abuse in particular went from 2,699 cases in 2020 to 4,258 cases in 2025, a 57.8% increase.

“In sexual abuse cases, female victims also recorded 3,852 cases compared to 406 cases involving male victims in 2025,” she said.

She also highlighted how the committee’s review of seven hospitals with OSCC facilities revealed several key shortcomings in the authorities' ability to help victims of abuse or violence.

This includes delays in police involvement, inconsistent responses, weak post-treatment protection for victims, and a shortage of Social Welfare Department officers in certain hospitals and states.

To address this, she said the PSSC proposed 10 recommendations including dedicated annual funding, specialised management roles, swift implementation of OSCC guidelines, and an integrated data system to strengthen operations and infrastructure.

The police were urged to clarify cross-district procedures, ensure timely attendance after hospital reports, and improve specialist training for officers handling sexual violence, domestic abuse, and child abuse cases.

Rodziah also recommended amending the Child Act 2001, creating assistant protection officer roles at OSCC hospitals, expanding the department's protection officer workforce and improving the case handling capabilities outside normal working hours.

She also called for stronger awareness campaigns on domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, and OSCC services to improve public understanding and accessibility.

“Our goal is not only hospital treatment, but helping victims escape abuse, access protection with dignity, and begin recovery in a safe environment,” she said. - Star