Thousands of domestic violence cases not reported to welfare dept

The Social Welfare Department only received 340 domestic violence cases in the first six months of 2019 compared to 3,000 cases reported to the cops during this period.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh has revealed that the Social Welfare Department (JKM) received 340 domestic violence cases in the first six months of 2019, compared to more than 3,000 reports lodged to police.

Yeoh said police had received 3,139 cases from January to June this year, compared with JKM which received only 340 cases, including from 24 male victims.

“The number of cases we received is only about 10%.

“So we need a task force to collect data in every parliamentary constituency to conduct intervention programmes,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

She said this task force will be formed to address the issue of domestic violence, which usually comes under the Domestic Violence Act 1994 (Act 521).

Based on JKM statistics, Yeoh said Selangor recorded the highest number of cases, with 27% of the total incidents, or 91 cases.

“This was followed by Pahang with 56 cases (16%) and Kedah with 34 cases (10%),” she said when answering a question from Natrah Ismail (PH-Sekijang) on statistics for domestic violence cases. - FMT