COMMENT | Domestic violence response needs strong multi-agency cooperation

COMMENT | In a recent statement by the Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rina Harun, victims of domestic violence were advised to obtain medical reports before approaching the police, to ensure that police are unable to turn away these cases.

While we welcome governmental awareness toward persisting systemic issues, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) would like to highlight that this advice may result in counter-productive practices — as medical reports are not a prerequisite for a police report.

The government must pursue three essential practices to strengthen our collective response to domestic violence.