PETALING JAYA: The Covid-19 pandemic did not just take the lives of 36,387 Malaysians as of October 2022. It also caused social and emotional problems for those who were forced to work from home or remain housebound for extended periods.
Among the problems was an increase in domestic violence, with 6,540 cases recorded in 2022. However, since Covid-19 entered the endemic stage the same year and life returned to normal, the numbers have fallen, with 2023 recording 5,507 cases.
A Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry spokesman said: “Police documented 1,406 such cases last year while the Social Welfare Department, which is under the ministry, reported 188 cases from January to November 2023.”
A volatile temper and stress were identified as the primary factors that contributed to domestic violence.
The spokesman said physical violence was the most serious and common form of domestic violence, with 1,759 cases reported to police.
“Also, spouses represented the largest number of women affected by domestic violence that were reported to the department, with 459 such cases as of November last year.”
Malaysian Psychospiritual Welfare Association deputy chairman Dr Adnan Omar said the gender ratio for individuals experiencing domestic violence at home is one male for every three females.
“Many victims feel that males are entitled to use harsh punishment that may lead to domestic abuse because of the patriarchal system, which reflects male dominance.
“Some victims believe they are at fault because they perceive themselves as inadequate spouses or children. Consequently, they feel they deserve it when the aggressors commit violence upon them.”
Adnan said in certain cases, victims may suffer from low self-esteem, leading to weakened positive responses when attempting to defend themselves.
“Many victims stay in an abusive relationship for years. It is like a vicious cycle that needs to be broken to prevent future domestic abuse.
“In many cases, it takes strong external support for victims to finally leave abusive unions,” he said.
While wives are commonly victims of domestic violence, Father’s Rights Association Malaysia (FRAM) founder Sheikh Faleigh Sheikh Mansor said husbands are not exempt.
“Since we were established in 2021, FRAM has received over 20 cases involving male victims experiencing mental torture and physical abuse as prevalent forms of domestic violence.”
He said some abused husbands find themselves uncertain about what to do and often hesitate to voice their experience.
“They also feared that if they could not control their temper and reacted to their wife’s violence, it might escalate into a more serious situation.
“They just need to have a conversation with someone who has experienced similar problems, as men often feel embarrassed to discuss it with friends or family,” he said.
Muralitharan Shanmugam, a former teacher-counsellor at a school in Ipoh, said children of abusive parents can be considered “second victims”.
“Witnessing abusive behaviour at home can have lasting effects on their mental, emotional and physical well-being. The trauma from such experiences can impact their development, relationships and overall quality of life.”
Muralitharan said children exposed to domestic violence may undergo changes, including showing aggressive behaviour, getting into fights without reason or expressing unexplained anger.
The ministry advised domestic violence victims to seek protection under the Emergency Protection Order, Interim Protection Order or Protection Order.
Offenders breaching such orders may face penalties under the Domestic Violence Act 1994, that include fines of up to RM2,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
