KERATAN AKHBAR PILIHAN: PREVENTING VIOLENCE IN THE FAMILY, TOGETHER

Around 30% of women aged 15 and older worldwide have faced physical and or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). If we delve deeper into the global figures, 26% of women in the same age bracket experienced violence at the hands of intimate partners (WHO, 2018). Not only that, 58% of girls and women killed worldwide were murdered by their own intimate partners or family members (United Nations Ofifce on Drugs and Crime, 2021).

Local figures paint a grim picture as well: Malaysia''s Women, Family & Community Development Ministry reported in the Dewan Rakyat that 7,568 domestic violence cases were recorded by the Royal Malaysia Police in 2021, which was 42% higher than the previous year. In addition, the Talian Kasih helpline received 3,028 calls about domestic violence during the same period (Galen Centre, 2022). Previous research found 8% of Malaysian women aged 18 to 50 faced intimate partner violence (Shuib et al, 2013).

The global figures will be higher if we take into account other forms of domestic violence beyond physical and or domestic abuse.

These numbers speak for themselves: notwithstanding growing awareness about family violence, there is still a high prevalence of violence against women in Malaysia and across the world, often at the hands of men close to them. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5.2 is to “eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres” - we have a long way to go to achieve it.

Read further on The Star's article attached.