Social News
Written by: Liang Huanmin
2020-05-16 16:17
Date of last update: 2020-05-16 16:17Under the epidemic situation of new coronavirus, many people fight against the disease at home, but some families have more family disputes. The Hong Kong Women ’s Center Association ’s permanent women ’s helpline service has compiled information on cases of domestic violence requests for help from frontline social workers. From January to March 2020 alone, 34 cases of domestic violence related help were received, compared with 16 cases in the same period of the previous year. , More than doubled, more than 70% of domestic violence victims who called the hotline had faced physical violence, 47% involved mental abuse, and 20% suffered from both types of violence.
The association compared April 2019 to January 2020 with February to March of this year's epidemic. It was found that only 30% of domestic violence cases who sought help in the outbreak reported to the police for help. Finally, no abuser was prosecuted. According to the association, 74% of people seeking help indicated that they had experienced domestic violence more than once, indicating that the family had a bad relationship, and the domestic violence problem and family relations were more severe in the epidemic.
Association Director-General Liao Jueshan (middle) proposed that the government allocate additional resources to the Defence Center and women's organizations. (Photo by Liang Huanmin)
Director General of the Association Liao Jushan said that in the case, because many people need to fight against epidemic at home, the increase in disputes is inevitable, which mainly involves cleanliness and hygiene issues, childcare issues and economic issues, etc., staying at home for a long time, "trapped beasts" The following problems have intensified. According to the association, 93% of domestic violence cases are not CSSA recipients, four adults are housewives, and the other four are full-time or self-employed. Therefore, the association believes that the economic environment has nothing to do with family disputes.
In addition, compared with the numbers of help channels for victims of domestic violence in the past two years, about 15% turned to government departments such as the police station and the Housing Department, but only 6% during the outbreak of this year, reflecting that although some people were attacked, they did not Some have sought assistance from government agencies. Of the victims of domestic violence, nearly 45% have sought assistance from non-governmental organizations, and 30% have sought assistance from relatives and friends.
The helper, Amy, has been suffering from emotional disorders in her husband and has to go to the hospital for regular follow-up. She has been violent to her for three years of marriage. (Photo by Liang Huanmin)
Amy (pseudonym) who called the association for help because of her husband's emotional disorder, had to go to the hospital for regular follow-up consultations. After three years of marriage, she had been violent to her, including heading and fork necking, plus preventing her from going out to work and with When friends meet, the situation is exacerbated by the long-term one-to-one relative.
The epidemic was severe in recent days. When her husband returned to the hospital for a follow-up, Amy asked to shower and change clothes immediately because of concerns about health issues, but was rejected by her husband. Amy felt that the situation was serious and worried about her own safety and decided to divorce. However, due to the epidemic, the family court suspended services, preventing her from being able to receive emergency assistance later.
Zhuang Zihui (first from right), the service supervisor of the Hong Kong Women ’s Center Association, said that 90% of the women currently staying in the asylum center. (Photo by Liang Huanmin)
Another helper, Mabel, has been married for many years and has two children. After marriage, she was repeatedly violently treated by her husband. During the epidemic, Mabel was injured again by her husband.
Mabel asked the Social Welfare Department's Family and Children Protection Division for assistance. The social worker was unable to meet with the case owner during the epidemic. The helper went to the police and inspected the injury on his own, and to protect the safety of the child, he wanted to leave the house immediately, but was affected by the epidemic. The progress of the organization ’s work. It took more than two days for her to contact the social worker. It was only about a week before she was placed in an asylum center, and she asked the social worker to apply for arrangements for future housing. Because colleagues did not rush to process related documents, it was difficult to follow up.
The Director General of the Association, Liao Jueshan, proposed that the government allocate additional resources to the Defender Center and women's organizations to subsidize the victims of domestic violence and their children's temporary stay in hotels and living expenses for long-term follow-up. In addition, the needs of domestic violence and divorced families are more complicated. On the one hand, the property between spouses has not been processed, and the legal process involves a lot of expenses. The average waiting time for applying for legal aid and family courts is six months or more During the period, the economic pressure faced by victims of domestic violence was self-evident. Therefore, it is recommended that the government establish an emergency assistance fund for families in crisis to deal with crisis situations, such as domestic violence, imprisonment for work-related injuries, and unexpected accidents.
She also mentioned that the victim women rely on the lack of individual one-time fund subsidies. She suggested that the Crisis Family Emergency Help Fund should help families transition from crisis through half a year of funding while reducing the need for helpers to fall into long-term assistance.
【New Coronary Pneumonia】 In Singapore, there are 752 more cases of domestic violence under the confirmed epidemic situation, an increase of 22%
[Epidemiology-Domestic Violence] Conflicts between couples staying at home increased, too Xiandu became domestic violence and harmonious family cases rose
Is it feasible to requisition hotels in asylum centers under the epidemic?
Domestic violence new coronary pneumonia
