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.”
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