KUALA LUMPUR: Domestic violence victims whose reports are refused by police should lodge a complaint against the officers concerned, says Bukit Aman.
Deputy Supt Zuriawati Zainal Abidin of the Criminal Investigation Department’s sexual, women and child investigation division (D11) said no police report should be rejected and such victims must report the matter.
“If you go to a police station and they refuse to take your report, go to another station and make two reports.
“One report against the person who assaulted or abused you, and another against the police officer who refused to accept your report,” she told a forum organised by the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) here yesterday.
Themed “Intimate Partner Violence Mini Forum: Gender Based Violence Which Is Overlooked By Law”, concerns were raised about victims being afraid to step forward after hearing stories of insensitive treatment at police stations.
These included allegations that there were police officers who refused to accept reports involving domestic violence.
DSP Zuriawati explained that lodging a report is important because it enables the police to investigate the conduct of the officers involved.
“Every police station has CCTVs. We can check who was on duty and what actually happened. If there is negligence, disciplinary action will be taken,” she added.
DSP Zuriawati advised victims of emotional and psychological abuse to also lodge reports.
“If you feel mentally distressed or unstable because of what happened, come forward and make the report first. We will investigate and refer the victim to a specialist if necessary,” she said.
DSP Zuriawati also said female victims could request for a female officer to record their statements if they felt uncomfortable speaking to a male officer.
The WAO earlier highlighted how a domestic violence victim, who was in an abusive relationship for five years, had investigations delayed due to her husband being a police officer.
The woman, identified as Mai, 38, revealed that she finally gathered the courage to lodge a police report after her husband hit her in front of their son.
“Before I even got to lodge a report, he was already there with his brother filing a report claiming that I had beaten him.
“Since he is a police inspector, his superior officers tried to settle the matter privately by using my son as a means of pressure. I also noticed that the case was progressing slowly,” she was quoted as saying.
Mai eventually got help after contacting WAO, which managed to obtain an interim protection order for her son and herself, as well as free counselling sessions from the organisation.
