“ Domestic violence and rapes continue to rise in Malaysia despite several efforts made by the Government to curb the vices” , said Malaysian Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Chew Mei Fun.
Thousands of women and children from all communities, class, background, race and religion are experiencing these abuses daily in our society. Mostly, they suffer in silence. They do not know the options of getting help and support. They are not aware of the law and the legislation to get protection, to seek justice and demand their rights. According to statistics from the Malaysian police showed that the number of reported domestic violence cases went up by 505 cases from 3,264 in 2006 to 3,769 in 2008 and the number of cases was increased rapidly and.
In 1999, the government set up the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development(KPWKM) headed by a female minister to oversee, handle and resolve some of the issues surrounding women, family and children. Since then, there has been much focus and emphasis on women’s development and child care, protection from violence and women’s and child’s rights.
According to Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal (2010), Domestic abuse, also known asspousal abuse, and its occurs when a person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person or partner. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence. Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose which is to gain and maintain totally control over you. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under his or her thumb. Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you.
Domestic violence and abuse does not discriminate. It is can happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships. It occurs within all age ranges, regardless of ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimized, men are also abused especially verbally and emotionally, although sometimes even physically as well. The bottom line is that abusive behavior is never acceptable, whether it’s coming from a man, a woman, a teenager, or an older adult. Everyone have the right to feel valued, respected, and safe.
The Welfare Department has already provided a hotline number 1-800-883040 for any information from the public about any abuse that they know in order to overcome this problem. Public can directly inform to the Welfare Department about domestic violence that might be occured arounds them or the victim of violence is their own friends. Insteads of that, there is act that provided to protect domestic violence such as Domestic Violence Act (DVA). Under this Act there are two types of protection the victims can ask for which is Interim Protection Order. This special provision is to protect women from further abuse after a complaint is formally lodged and the other one is Protection Order.
Rather than that, there are several outcomes had been done by government such as Safe House. It’s the option of the victim whether to choose to stay in a safe house or otherwise. The Welfare Department has 28 houses all over Malaysia to give temporary shelter to these women. More are being designed to meet the purpose at the state level and these premises are called ‘Rumah Nur’ or House of Light.
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