Domestic violence not a private matter – all can help tackle issue

Government agencies and crisis shelters are helping out, but we need to do more to protect victims.

- Shahrany Hassan

Her head down and arms folded, Ms Chan sat at the back of the hall at an event at our shelter for victims of domestic violence, Casa Raudha. She sat alone amid a sea of women eating and talking.

I went up to her and asked why she was not with the others.

She said, in a mix of Mandarin and English: "I'm not worthy." I will never forget those words.

HER STORY

Ms Chan was single, in her late 50s, and with moderate to severe physical disabilities. Despite those limitations, she was the primary caregiver of her elderly mother, Madam Chan.

Her case file states that Madam Chan would often hit, pinch, scratch and slap her, and sometimes grab her hair. She also hurled vulgarities and derogatory terms whenever her daughter tried to speak up for herself or was seen as having failed to meet caregiving expectations.

Ms Chan was prevented from participating in any social activities and even from seeking medical help. As she was not allowed to work, she was financially dependent on her mother.

She suffered physical, emotional, psychological and financial abuse at the hands of her elderly mother.

But the breaking point came in December 2022 when a safety plan established by the Adult Protective Service of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) was breached. She was then referred to our crisis shelter.

Ms Chan's case is categorised as non-elderly vulnerable adult abuse. Cases like hers are considered high safety and risk concerns.

One bright spot is that the number of cases in this category has fallen by almost half, from 42 cases in 2021 to 23 cases in 2023, one of the key trends that emerged in the inaugural Domestic Violence Trends Report by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) released on Sept 26.