Types of Abuse and Violence Recorded 2001-2004

Researches done by WAO starting from 2001 to 2004 (information provided by WAO), the types of violence reported were abuse of domestic workers (267 cases), child abuse (686 cases), sodomy (740 cases), incest (1353), outrage of modesty (7209 cases), rape (7273 cases) and domestic violence (14986 cases).

Evidently, domestic violence has the most reported cases. According to WAO, domestic violence has been a significant but often a hidden social problem since 1995. The problem is a taboo topic especially in a conservative Malaysian society, hence, tackling the issue has been a challenging feat. It has been difficult to solve domestic violence because it happens in the homes of the victims. The main issue debated is that the problem is sensitive that involves the “sanctity and privacy of the family, and the intimacy of marital relationships” (WAO, 1995).

In the same year, WAO has also produced another report named “Battered Women in Malaysia: Prevalence, Problems and Public Attitudes” which was based on a similar national research done several years ago. In the report, 1.8 million (39%) of women over 15 were experiencing violence by their husbands and boyfriends but only 909 women actually reported violence to the police.

Such findings further proves that violence should be stopped from the home as most domestic violence cases went unreported because of the matter of family privacy and traditional belief and perception that are prevailed by the society.