KUALA LUMPUR: AS the number of people being confined to their homes increases around the globe amid the Covid-19 pandemic, so does the number of domestic violence victims living with constant threat.
Malaysia has seen a spike in the number of domestic violence cases following the Movement Control Order (MCO), which was imposed since March 18. This is based on data gathered from the Women and Family Development Ministry and NGOs attending to domestic violence cases.
The ministry’s Talian Kasih hotline had seen a 57 per cent increase (or 1,893 calls) from women in distress up to March 26.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, said among the issues raised were financial constraints, marital problems and domestic violence.
She said while calls for aid would be channelled to the respective district welfare offices, the ministry works closely with counsellors, police and the relevant agencies in addressing reports of abuse.
“There is indeed a slight increase in (domestic violence) cases, largely due to stress (of abusive partners from) being confined to their homes. The situation is, however, still under control.
“We understand that being in a situation like this could trigger tension and stress. Some are hot-tempered, and they take it out on their wives. There are also cases where the husbands and children are victims,” she told the New Straits Times when contacted.
SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The spike in domestic violence amid the Covid-19 pandemic is not unique to Malaysia. In France, domestic violence increased by 36 per cent since the crisis began, prompting the government to pay for victims to stay in hotels and setting up pop-up counselling centres in shopping areas.
Australia saw a 75 per cent rise in Google searches for help and its government has allocated RM435 million for various support initiatives.
Siti Zailah said Malaysian authorities have tackled these cases whenever they are reported.
“If anyone feels that they are being abused or struggling with mental breakdowns, I urge you to call the Talian Kasih helpline to seek help.
“Action has been taken on all of the cases that we had received to date.”
Exact figures of domestic abuse from the ministry were not immediately available. According to its corporate communications department, the latest data would only be shared after the MCO was completed.
Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) Advocacy and Communications officer Tan Heang-Lee said the organisation initially saw a slight decrease in hotline calls and WhatsApp enquiries on domestic abuse at the start of the MCO.
However, there was a 14 per cent spike in calls to the same hotline recently.
She said WAO received an average of 10.5 calls and enquiries per day between March 1 and 17. However, between March 18 and 31, it received reports of 12 cases daily.
TRAPPED IN THE HOUSE
Tan said domestic violence was about exerting power and control. During this crisis, isolation and concerns over health and finances could aggravate an abuser’s desire to exert power and control.
“Domestic violence survivors are at greater risk because they are trapped in the house all day with the abuser. It is also more dangerous for them to seek help, as the abuser may be monitoring their every move.”
Tan added that WAO received many calls from survivors, asking whether it was acceptable for them to escape during the MCO.
“When we receive such calls, we advise survivors on steps they can take to leave safely,” she said, adding that WAO always works with the police to rescue domestic violence survivors.
Tan said survivors who are unable to work during MCO might become more financially dependent on the abuser. The crisis impacts survivors who have left their abusers too.
“Among 20 former residents of WAO’s domestic violence shelter, 30 per cent were unable to work due to the MCO, 25 per cent were still looking for a job, while another five per cent had their salaries deducted due to the MCO.”
She urged the government to make more public service announcements about support services available for domestic violence survivors, even during the MCO. This will stress the fact that perpetrators can be penalised for their actions even during the pandemic.
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE
Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) programme director Karen Lai Yu Lee said domestic violence was on the rise during the pandemic due to mounting economic, social and psychological pressure on families and communities.
WCC received 14 phone calls in the first week of the MCO (March 18 to 24) but that number increased to 36 cases in the second week (March 25 to 31)
.
Out of all of those phone calls, three cases were related to domestic abuse in the first week of the MCO. This figure increased to 11 cases in the second week.
She said people called up WCC to request for financial, food, grocery aid and a few people experiencing anxiety and loneliness due to the MCO.
“We anticipate that the numbers will go up in the coming weeks. The number of new domestic violence cases referred to us by the One-Stop Crisis Centres (OSCCs) of Penang hospitals also tripled, from two cases to six cases in the second week. This is a cause for concern.
“The (Women and Family Development Ministry) performance throughout the MCO period has been disappointing thus far, with one blunder after another. We hope there will be improvements in terms of concrete measures to empower women and children in the remaining two weeks of the MCO and beyond,” said Lai.
All Women’s Action Society (Awam) Programmess and Operations manager Nisha Sabanayagam said issues of domestic abuse, mental health and discrimination were exacerbated during the MCO due to the inability of survivors to socialise or leave their home freely.
“Before the MCO, survivors of gender-based violence could get help from neighbours, relatives, doctors and even the postmen. With the MCO, outside contact is minimised, for good reasons of course. But it does not take away the fact that survivors are at greater risk of abuse and violence.
“They are at a higher risk of spiralling into depression, thus becoming vulnerable to a different set of health issues. Depression can negatively impact one’s immune system. In this period of Covid-19, one’s immune system needs to be maintained at an optimal level.
“Being in such close proximity for an extended period of time allows the perpetrators to better monitor the survivors and prevent them from getting help.”
In the case of women who are separated from their husbands and are now forced to live in close quarters with their spouse, she said, this would open them up to physical, emotional and even sexual abuse.
“Not being able to seek medical help immediately could potentially lead to dire, even fatal consequences.”
Nisha said more efforts should be made to reach out to individuals and the grassroots. There was a need for more shelters at this time as most shelters were now functioning at full capacity.
She said since the MCO, Awam has received 11 phone calls with only one of them related to domestic violence. The other complaints were on rape and discrimination, divorce, mental health, relationship issues and the MCO.
Another NGO, Sisters in Islam, said it did not receive any complaints on domestic abuse on its Telenisa line.
Its communications officer Aleza Nadia Othman said the absence of complaints could be due to survivors being trapped by abusers.