Over 19k domestic violence cases reported in past three years

PARLIAMENT | A total of 19,268 cases of domestic violence were reported between 2020 and 2022, according to police statistics.

In 2020, 5,260 cases were recorded, followed by 7,468 cases in 2021 and 6,540 cases in 2022.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri revealed this in a written parliamentary reply to Parit Sulong MP Noraini Ahmad, who had asked for the data and what steps the ministry was taking to curb the issue.

“In order to handle and reduce the number of domestic violence cases in society, various initiatives have been carried out continuously by the ministry, specifically through the Committee to Handle Domestic Violence,” Nancy said in her reply.

Among the initiatives that are being carried out include broadening the implementation of advocacy programmes to raise awareness on issues related to domestic violence, providing accessible psycho-social services and counselling, and doubling efforts to promote relevant hotline services.

The ministry also propagated more programmes to upskill and encourage entrepreneurship among women to empower them to be more financially independent, prepared temporary transit centres in mosques for domestic violence victims, and improved the procedures in handling domestic violence cases, she said.

“This ministry will remain committed in our efforts to handle and reduce cases of domestic violence in cooperation with government agencies and NGOs for the wellbeing of the family institution and development of the community,” Nancy said.

In her response, the minister also included a breakdown of the statistics according to state, gender, and race.

It was reported previously that there was a 360 percent increase in distress calls received over domestic violence between February 2020 – before the movement control order (MCO) was implemented for Covid-19 – and April, when the MCO was in full swing, according to data from the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).

NGOs reportedly continued to sound sirens of intensified domestic violence even after the first MCO was lifted. - Mkini