COMMENT | Getting Covid-19 outdoors or assaulted at home?
COMMENT | According to the Statistics Department, the number of marriages decreased by 1.2 percent in 2019, while the divorce rate increased by 12 percent. The main reason for divorces were communication and financial problems, domestic violence and others.
The number of marriages fell from 206,352 in 2018 to 203,821 in 2019, a decline by 1.2 percent. Meanwhile, the number of divorces rose by 12 percent from 50,862 in 2018 to 56,975 in 2019.
The issue of domestic violence has attracted plenty of attention. When the coronavirus pandemic struck Malaysia, our country has been placed under the movement control order (MCO) since March 2020.
However, the new normal of working from home (WFH) may have curbed the infectious disease in the earlier stage, but unfortunately could not contain domestic violence totally...
COMMENT | According to the Statistics Department, the number of marriages decreased by 1.2 percent in 2019, while the divorce rate increased by 12 percent. The main reason for divorces were communication and financial problems, domestic violence and others.
The number of marriages fell from 206,352 in 2018 to 203,821 in 2019, a decline by 1.2 percent. Meanwhile, the number of divorces rose by 12 percent from 50,862 in 2018 to 56,975 in 2019.
The issue of domestic violence has attracted plenty of attention. When the coronavirus pandemic struck Malaysia, our country has been placed under the movement control order (MCO) since March 2020.
However, the new normal of working from home may have curbed the infectious disease in the earlier stage, but unfortunately could not contain domestic violence totally.
During the various categories of MCO, the number of domestic violence incidents in our country grew. There is a saying, “familiarity breeds contempt”.
To prevent irreversible developments and regrets in the future, victims of domestic violence are urged to have the confidence to step out and seek help from various avenues, soonest possible.
According to reports, as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads globally including Malaysia, citizens in all countries have responded to full or partial lockdown measures imposed by their respective countries.
The family nest appears to be the safest abode to prevent the outbreak’s spread. However, for some females, stress levels have shot up with the stay-home measures due to anxiety, communication breakdown leading to domestic violence.
Data from the website of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry reveal that there were 81 reported cases of domestic violence in Malaysia from March 18 to 31. From April 1, there were 337 cases during this 30-day period with 420 reported cases from May 1 to 31.
These figures indicate this upward trend continued in June with 92 reported cases in just nine days. Wanita MCA’s Legal Advisory & Women's Aid Centre (Lawa) has also received 83 reports of domestic violence since March 18.
The number of calls to helplines for women also climbed by four times compared with the same month last year. This situation is worrisome.
According to a report by the United Nations, the number of calls to helplines for women in Lebanon and Malaysia doubled from the same month last year and tripled in China. In Australia, the number of victims using the search engine Google for help on domestic violence was the highest in five years.
Therefore, during this global contagion, domestic violence is not just a problem in Malaysia, but an international phenomenon. Our country can learn from the experiences and policies of other countries.
In view of the continued spike in domestic violence cases in Malaysia during the MCO, Lawa continues to provide assistance to its victims.
On June 27, Lawa formed a tie-up with Persatuan Kebajikan Maha Malaysia and the Be Good Do Good Association to promote the “Say No to Domestic Violence” campaign for victims of domestic violence encountering family/marriage/child problems.
The assistance extended to women irrespective of ethnic background includes legal counselling, family/marriage/youth counselling and assistance to victims; application to the Social Welfare Department for emergency protection orders, court applications for interim protection orders, arranging shelters, and social welfare aid.
Wanita MCA has also mobilised our Lawa centres established in 13 states and 192 divisions across the country to fully cooperate and promote the protection of women’s rights.
Lawa was established by Wanita MCA on Dec 16, 2014, to provide justice and serve as a one-stop assistance centre for women from all ethnic groups in Malaysia, especially for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and bullying.
It combines the Social Welfare Department, Royal Malaysian Police, the Malaysian Bar, Association of Women Lawyers and the International Islamic University of Malaysia to offer legal advice and related assistance for female victims.
Lawa also cooperates with the Malaysian Psychiatric Association to provide psychological counselling and assistance. For any inquiries, please call or email to the following: 03-22033884/012-3863884/women@mca.org.my.
For domestic violence cases, victims may contact the police at 999 when the situation is urgent, or the multilingual Talian Kasih at 15999 set up by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
Other help hotlines include:
Women’s Aid Organization (WAO)
Hotline: 03-7956 3488
WhatsApp: 018-988 8058
Penang Women’s Centre for Change (WCC)
Penang: 011-3108 4001, 016-428 7265
Perth: 016-439 0698, 016-418 0342
WhatsApp: 016-448 0342
Email: wcc@wccpenang.org
All Women's Action Society (Awam)
Hotline: 016-237 4221
Email:
telenita@awam.org.my
HENG SEAI KIE is the MCA Women's chairperson.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
