Advertisement
In Malaysia, domestic violence spikes amid lockdown to slow coronavirus infections
- Women’s rights groups are reporting a substantial increase in calls for help as workers are forced to stay home, running low on food and income
- The government has been called to take more substantive action to support women, especially as the lockdown has been extended until the end of April
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Dress attractively, don’t nag, and use a high-pitched, sweet voice like cartoon character Doraemon when speaking to your husbands. That was the widely mocked advice handed down in a series of infographics by Malaysia’s ministry of women and family earlier this month amid a national lockdown to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Advertisement
The infographics, which were taken down after the outcry, also told women to keep up their personal appearance, wear make-up, and “act childlike” to preserve household happiness.
Women’s groups across the nation lambasted the government for its insensitivity, accusing it of victim-blaming and normalising domestic violence. They also pointed out that under the lockdown – which bans Malaysians from leaving their homes except to buy food, in emergencies or to access health care – women and children are more susceptible to domestic violence and abuse.
Domestic violence activist Farah Hanim has reported an increase in domestic violence in the federal housing project just outside Kuala Lumpur where she works.
“I’ve received many more calls for help,” she said, adding that this was possibly due to overcrowding in cramped, close quarters; the loss of income as workers are forced to stay home; and the subsequent shortage of food and other essential supplies.
Confirmed infections in Malaysia have ballooned from less than 100 in early March to more than 4,000 as of Thursday, prompting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to extend the lockdown until the end of April.
Advertisement
Police received a total of 5,421 domestic violence reports in 2018.
Advertisement