If a shelter allows police to visit with an abusive husband, it cannot provide the victim-survivor with a safe, supportive environment.
FMT
PETALING JAYA: Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) Advocacy Officer Kristine Yap said that although they valued the role police played in protecting victims of domestic violence, the two parties needed to work together instead of against each other for the sake of the women involved.
Referring to last month’s incident which saw three police officers bringing an abusive husband to the shelter, Yap related in a statement that WAO’s experience with the police had not been “short of challenges”.
According to Yap, the police demanded to search the place for the abusive husband’s wife as one of their children had taken ill after the husband chased his wife out of the house.
She said that the role of WAO was a safe house and shelter that provided a safe and supportive environment where women could rebuild and regain control of their lives.
“More pertinently, the function of a shelter and safe house is to provide physical and psychological safety to a person or family experiencing domestic violence,” said Yap who added that the police should not reveal the classified address of the shelter to anyone, least of all the perpetrator.
“Bringing the abusive husband to the shelter compromises the safety and confidentiality of WAO’s shelter, potentially risking the lives of women and children who seek refuge here.
“On top of that, the police should not turn up at the shelter with the perpetrator, aggressively demanding the staff and residents to let them in,” said Yap.
She said that in such situations, the police should first check whether the wife had made a report against her husband.
Following this, they should confirm the missing person’s whereabouts and safety before meeting the abused woman’s social worker instead of “turning up at the shelter unannounced, causing distress”.
Yap also hoped that the police would assist in taking action if the perpetrator and, or his family members were to create a scene at the shelter gate, hurling insults at the shelter staff and residents.
She said that WAO was always quick to notify the police of any incidents and had cooperated with the police with face-to-face meetings at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in order to ensure a good relationship.
Yap acknowledged the police’s help in intervening at the shelter gates and providing immediate assistance when called upon and hoped that in future, they could continue to improve and strengthen their partnership in their continued efforts to eliminate domestic violence.
PETALING JAYA: Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) Advocacy Officer Kristine Yap said that although they valued the role police played in protecting victims of domestic violence, the two parties needed to work together instead of against each other for the sake of the women involved.
Referring to last month’s incident which saw three police officers bringing an abusive husband to the shelter, Yap related in a statement that WAO’s experience with the police had not been “short of challenges”.
According to Yap, the police demanded to search the place for the abusive husband’s wife as one of their children had taken ill after the husband chased his wife out of the house.
She said that the role of WAO was a safe house and shelter that provided a safe and supportive environment where women could rebuild and regain control of their lives.
“More pertinently, the function of a shelter and safe house is to provide physical and psychological safety to a person or family experiencing domestic violence,” said Yap who added that the police should not reveal the classified address of the shelter to anyone, least of all the perpetrator.
“Bringing the abusive husband to the shelter compromises the safety and confidentiality of WAO’s shelter, potentially risking the lives of women and children who seek refuge here.
“On top of that, the police should not turn up at the shelter with the perpetrator, aggressively demanding the staff and residents to let them in,” said Yap.
She said that in such situations, the police should first check whether the wife had made a report against her husband.
Following this, they should confirm the missing person’s whereabouts and safety before meeting the abused woman’s social worker instead of “turning up at the shelter unannounced, causing distress”.
Yap also hoped that the police would assist in taking action if the perpetrator and, or his family members were to create a scene at the shelter gate, hurling insults at the shelter staff and residents.
She said that WAO was always quick to notify the police of any incidents and had cooperated with the police with face-to-face meetings at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in order to ensure a good relationship.
Yap acknowledged the police’s help in intervening at the shelter gates and providing immediate assistance when called upon and hoped that in future, they could continue to improve and strengthen their partnership in their continued efforts to eliminate domestic violence.
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