KUALA LUMPUR: The Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) has come up with a policy brief focusing on protection for survivors of intimate partner violence who are unmarried.
The policy brief is to amend Section 2 of the Domestic Violence Act to include individuals who are or have been in an intimate relationship regardless of marital status.
WAO executive director Nazreen Nizam, who disclosed this, said the Domestic Violence Act 1994 provides an important framework of protection for survivors, including through Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Protection Orders and Protection Orders.
“However, this protection only applies to certain domestic relationships recognised by law. This means that many survivors in unmarried intimate relationships, including those who are dating or engaged, may fall outside this protection,” she said in her address at a WAO forum here yesterday.
Pointing out that violence did not only occur within marriage, she said legal protection should also be based on risks and harm experienced by victims and not solely based on marital status.
“Violence occurs when there is control, threats, coercion, fear and danger. We are demanding action.
“We are saying that women’s experiences must be translated into legal reform, policy change, system improvements and genuine political commitment,” she added.
According to the WAO’s latest report, cases of gender-based violence handled by it rose sharply to 7,939 cases last year, compared to 5,209 cases in 2024.
It also found that domestic violence cases rose from 1,162 to 1,759, with data showing that intimate partner violence remained the primary drive of shelter admissions with husbands being the main perpetrators in 2024 (59 cases) and last year (60).
The report also recorded increases across multiple categories, including relationship disputes, non-domestic violence abuse within households, technology-based harassment, sexual harassment, rape, homelessness, child abuse and assault.
One of the most significant changes was the surge in technology-based harassment, which more than doubled from 92 cases in 2024 to 251 last year.
Cases involving vulnerable groups also rose, including single pregnant women, trafficking survivors, migrant domestic workers and incest victims, suggesting that certain communities may face heightened risks of exploitation and violence.
Despite an overall increase in stalking complaints from 81 to 113, shelter admissions related to stalking has declined.
The report suggested this may indicate the deterrent effect of stronger enforcement following the introduction of anti-stalking laws.
Incidents involving ex-husbands fell from 11 to six cases, while cases involving biological parents increased from five to eight, suggesting a possible rise in younger survivors or family-based abuse.
Domestic violence continued to make up the largest share of shelter admissions, recording 75 cases in 2024 and 72 in 2025, indicating its persistent prevalence despite a slight decline.
Several categories of sexual violence saw decreases, including rape cases falling from 10 to five, sexual harassment from seven to five, and abuse or assault from six to two. Stalking cases among shelter residents also dropped from four to one, which the report suggested could reflect the deterrent effect of Malaysia’s strengthened anti-stalking legislation.
