Engaging Government to Optimise Their Role As Domestic Violence Responders: System Must Not Let Survivors Down

The 2015 Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on Domestic Violence is a consultation aimed at strengthening the cooperation and understanding between the different stakeholders that are mandated in the Garis Panduan as domestic violence responders, so as to optimise services provided to domestic violence survivors.

“Victim-survivors of domestic violence already face stigma and complex barriers in seeking redress. From the WAO clients that we surveyed, we found that 61.8% of victim-survivors sought help from the police before anyone else.”

“Victim-survivors must have an enabling environment that ensures necessary redress, and for those who have made the step to report the violence, the system must not let them down,” said Sumitra Visvanathan, Executive Director of Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).

WAO, who organised the meeting with KPWKM, hopes to engage government in a dialogue around the crises and gaps in protection faced by survivors of domestic violence. The consultation aims to not only unearth the challenges faced by government as domestic violence responders in delivering crucial protections to survivors of domestic violence, but also to plan and strategize potential solutions to these challenges.

The Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on Domestic Violence was officiated by Puan Zalinah Mohd Yusof, Deputy Under Secretary of the Policy Division of Women, Family & Community Development.

“With the Multi-Stakeholder Meeting, we are re-affirming our commitment to the Garis Panduan, ensuring that government has the necessary knowledge and resources to provide effective redress for survivors of domestic violence,” said Puan Zalinah Mohd Yusof.

WAO would like to formally extend our gratitude to YB Senator Datuk Paul Low, minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, for funding the Inter-agency Working Together Document & Meetings on Domestic Violence, including the Victim Support Video series, Multi-Stakeholder Meetings on Domestic Violence, and the Garis Panduan.

The nine government divisions expected to attend include Jabatan Peguam Negara; Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM); Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM); Pejabat Ketua Pendaftar Mahkamah Persekutuan (Mahkamah); Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) dan Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri (JAIN); Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM); Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT); Jabatan Pembangunan Wanita (JPW); and Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (LPPKN).