Observing the rising trend of reported domestic violence as reported in The Star on January 31, 2025), Wanita MCA urges that this issue be tackled effectively, undertaking the following measures:
Stronger Legal Protections And Enforcement
- Execution of the Law: Acknowledging there have been improvements to the Domestic Violence Act 1994, meanwhile, Wanita MCA calls for more awareness and stringent implementation of legislation not only from the enforcement authorities but also from the judiciary, in particular from repeat offenders.
- Specialised Training: Magistrates and law enforcement officers encouraged to attend targeted training to handle domestic violence cases sensitively and consistently. Creating specialised domestic violence courts could also help ensure fairer justice.
- Access to Legal Aid and Support Centres: Victims should have swift access to legal aid, with dedicated services to level the playing field against perpetrators with private lawyers; Wanita MCA’s Legal Advisory and Women’s Aid Centre (LAWA) provides legal advice for domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
Awareness And Education
- School Curriculum: Anti-domestic violence education should be incorporated into school programmes, teaching children about its impact and the importance of healthy, respectful relationships.
- Public Campaigns: Awareness campaigns should target all genders, emphasising how misinformed masculinity contributes to violence and encouraging men to be allies in the fight against it.
- Community Outreach: Local programmes should challenge harmful gender norms and empower individuals to speak out against abuse.
Acknowledging All Victims
- Male Victims: Recognise that men, too, can be victims of domestic violence and ensure they have access to support services, shelters, and legal protections.
- Support for Foreign Spouses: Non-Malaysian spouses, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, are vulnerable due to language barriers and fear of deportation should their Malaysian spouse threaten not to renew their visa. Special services such as legal support, shelters, and language assistance should be provided to them.
Support Systems For Victims
- Shelters and Counselling: Shelters should offer not just safety but also counselling in vernacular languages and local dialects to help victims heal from trauma.
- Support for Children: Programmes should be available to help children cope with the trauma of witnessing domestic violence.
Community Involvement
- Encourage Men to Speak Out: Men should challenge disrespectful behaviour within their circles to shift societal attitudes towards violence.
- Empower Communities: Communities should be educated on identifying signs of abuse and encouraged to report it, creating a collective response to domestic violence.
The figures highlighted by the Royal Malaysian Police are reported cases which revealed that 70 per cent of cases stem from economic factors, with 75 per cent hailing from the B40 group and corelate with the economic factors.
The actual number would be higher as not all victims would lodge police reports, and victims from the M40 and T20 groups may feel shame to seek police help to keep up with appearances that all is well.
Meanwhile, attention needs to be given to unrecognised victims like males and foreign spouses.
From the authorities to common folks, Malaysians need to aspire to create a society where abuse will neither be tolerated nor ignored.
Wong You Fong is Wanita MCA national chairperson.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Ova.
