Domestic violence cases on the rise

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur Hospital has noticed a rise in domestic violence cases each month.

Its Emergency and Trauma Department head, Prof Datuk Seri Dr Abu Hassan Asaari Abdullah said the cases were referred to its one-stop crisis centre for medical examination and treatment.  

"There are cases on a daily basis. If we were to compare to before, there were only between 10 and 20 cases but we are recording up to 150 cases a month.

Most of the cases involved rape, child abuse, molestation and sodomy.          

"(Once handed over), the victims will be taken to the one-stop crisis centre for a further treatment," he said.    

He said among the contributing factors for the increase were economic problems at home, depression involving husband or wife, as well as the mechanisms in fulfilling family responsibility such as child care.    

Dr Abu Hassan said husbands who were alcholics or addicted to drugs were also the main cause for women and children becoming victims of violence and abuse. 

"Among the factors for rape, for instance, were the men's behaviour toward women; pornography; alcohol and drugs; promiscuity; moral corruption; and being less religious," he said.    

He said the one-stop crisis centre, set up in 1994, served to provide treatments and psychological services to the victims with a hollistic approach.

 "We take care of victims' interest very seriously in terms of psychology and dignity and (we) do not disclose the location where the treatments are carried out in order to protect the patients," he said.    

The centre also provides a holistic treatment and cooperated well with the Welfare Department, the police and forensic unit, he said. -Bernama