More people are willing to report domestic violence since the passage of a law to prevent home abuse 11 years ago, a senior official with the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.
The ministry said that more than 15,900 cases of domestic violence were reported last year, based on data collected from the nation's 113 women and children’s protection hotlines. The figure represents an increase of 56.2 percent from 2007.
A total of 872 people were arrested for domestic violence related crime last year, up 9.3 percent from 2007, the ministry said.
“Looking at the figures, some people might be worried that domestic violence has become a more serious phenomenon in society,” said Chang Hsiu-yuan (張秀鴛), senior secretary of the ministry's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Committee.
“Domestic violence has long existed,” Chang said, but more people are now willing to report these incidents.
“I think it's because people — be it the victims or friends or neighbors of the victims — are more willing to report domestic violence, and know where to find help now,” she said at an event held by the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation to mark the 11th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act.
Chang said that in the past, people considered domestic violence something “shameful” to be kept within the family, with victims feeling more ashamed than upset.
“It's a good thing people have a different mindset now when faced with domestic violence,” Chang said.
Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation chairman Kevin Liao (廖英智) yesterday urged the public to pay equal attention to children who have witnessed domestic violence.
“Children who have witnessed domestic violence are also victims who are often overlooked,” Liao said. “But if these ‘hidden injuries’ from seeing domestic violence are not handled carefully, these 'child witnesses' could become a violent person or even an abuser when they get married.”
The foundation's studies show that about 202 children are exposed to domestic violence each day.
“We've found that about 70 percent of abusers grew up in families with domestic violence,” Chang said. “So this is certainly an issue that needs to be taken cared of.”
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS