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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Nov 17, 2009
FIGHTING FAMILY VIOLENCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>S'pore must do more
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM encouraged to learn how female victims of violence and their children have received better protection from 'high-risk' abusers because of recent initiatives to fight domestic violence. Identifying the 'high-risk' people, planning a strategy to protect second-time victims, and seeking help from agencies such as the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Child Protection Service, the police and prisons are elements of this critical 'safety net' to help victims, and these efforts should be applauded.
In Singapore, concerted efforts to deal with domestic violence started in the 1980s. The groundwork for reform through campaigns was spurred by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), which culminated in the Family Violence Bill.
Regrettably, the Bill was defeated in Parliament, but there were some positive results. In March 1995, a specialist Family Court was established. An infrastructure was also set up to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to tackling the problem. Some provisions of the Family Violence Bill were incorporated into the amended Women's Charter 1996.
But the amended charter has its shortfalls. While it protects spouse, former spouse, child, stepchild, adopted child, parents, parents-in-law and any other relative or incapacitated individual who is regarded by the court as a member of the family, couples who live together are excluded.
If the Family Violence Bill was in place, courts would have protected even de facto or common law 'marriages' and not ignore them altogether.
The Women's Charter has another defect. Only the victim can apply for a protection order. In reality, the victim often believes she cannot help herself and, as a result, fails to take any action to end the abusive relationship.
An advantage of the Family Violence Bill would have been that anyone who had reason to believe that family violence (including spousal violence) was being committed could apply for a protection order for the victim.
The Women's Charter is flawed in another way. The amended charter makes it mandatory not only for the abuser but also the victim to undergo counselling. In contrast, the Family Violence Bill would have reserved mandatory counselling for the abuser only.
Clearly, family violence should be fought on many fronts, as is currently done. But legal reform is also critical to eradicate this social problem. The legal reforms in place to fight family violence are a step forward, but more can be done to ensure gender egalitarianism.
Dr Theresa Devasahayam
Coordinator, Gender Studies Programme
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
http://www.facebook.com/people/Theresa-Devasahayam/564352289
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="95%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD> http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/article_view.asp?id=262<TR><TD>
Dr Theresa W DEVASAHAYAM
email:[email protected]
Theresa W. Devasahayam was a Research Fellow in the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS) at the University of Wollongong before joining ARI as a Visiting Affiliate.
Holding a Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology and an M.A. in Public Administration from Syracuse University, New York, U.S.A., Theresa’s research interests include globalization and women’s status, unskilled female labour migration in Southeast Asia, ageing and its implications for female working caregivers, and women’s fertility and reproductive health and rights. In the past, Theresa’s professional record includes holding the position of Associate Population Affairs Officer in the Emerging and Social Issues Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and acting as consultant to the Country Technical Services Teams (CST) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Her time at ARI will be spent completing a project on the Roman Catholic Church in Singapore and its advocacy efforts for foreign domestic workers.
She joins ARI as a Visiting Affiliate from 17 July 2006 to 31 December 2006.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
FIGHTING FAMILY VIOLENCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>S'pore must do more
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM encouraged to learn how female victims of violence and their children have received better protection from 'high-risk' abusers because of recent initiatives to fight domestic violence. Identifying the 'high-risk' people, planning a strategy to protect second-time victims, and seeking help from agencies such as the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Child Protection Service, the police and prisons are elements of this critical 'safety net' to help victims, and these efforts should be applauded.
In Singapore, concerted efforts to deal with domestic violence started in the 1980s. The groundwork for reform through campaigns was spurred by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), which culminated in the Family Violence Bill.
Regrettably, the Bill was defeated in Parliament, but there were some positive results. In March 1995, a specialist Family Court was established. An infrastructure was also set up to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to tackling the problem. Some provisions of the Family Violence Bill were incorporated into the amended Women's Charter 1996.
But the amended charter has its shortfalls. While it protects spouse, former spouse, child, stepchild, adopted child, parents, parents-in-law and any other relative or incapacitated individual who is regarded by the court as a member of the family, couples who live together are excluded.
If the Family Violence Bill was in place, courts would have protected even de facto or common law 'marriages' and not ignore them altogether.
The Women's Charter has another defect. Only the victim can apply for a protection order. In reality, the victim often believes she cannot help herself and, as a result, fails to take any action to end the abusive relationship.
An advantage of the Family Violence Bill would have been that anyone who had reason to believe that family violence (including spousal violence) was being committed could apply for a protection order for the victim.
The Women's Charter is flawed in another way. The amended charter makes it mandatory not only for the abuser but also the victim to undergo counselling. In contrast, the Family Violence Bill would have reserved mandatory counselling for the abuser only.
Clearly, family violence should be fought on many fronts, as is currently done. But legal reform is also critical to eradicate this social problem. The legal reforms in place to fight family violence are a step forward, but more can be done to ensure gender egalitarianism.
Dr Theresa Devasahayam
Coordinator, Gender Studies Programme
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
http://www.facebook.com/people/Theresa-Devasahayam/564352289
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="95%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD> http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/article_view.asp?id=262<TR><TD>
email:[email protected]
Theresa W. Devasahayam was a Research Fellow in the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS) at the University of Wollongong before joining ARI as a Visiting Affiliate.
Holding a Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology and an M.A. in Public Administration from Syracuse University, New York, U.S.A., Theresa’s research interests include globalization and women’s status, unskilled female labour migration in Southeast Asia, ageing and its implications for female working caregivers, and women’s fertility and reproductive health and rights. In the past, Theresa’s professional record includes holding the position of Associate Population Affairs Officer in the Emerging and Social Issues Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and acting as consultant to the Country Technical Services Teams (CST) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Her time at ARI will be spent completing a project on the Roman Catholic Church in Singapore and its advocacy efforts for foreign domestic workers.
She joins ARI as a Visiting Affiliate from 17 July 2006 to 31 December 2006.
