Q Should counselling be mandatory for abusive spouses? As a veteran clinical psychologist, I am convinced that no change can be forced upon anybody in the form of counselling or other forms of psychological intervention. In recent years some shocking cases involving domestic violence created the expectation for a 'quick fix' to the problem. Because of the known resistance of some abusive spouses to participate in intervention programmes (such as counselling), some would think that making it mandatory is a quick solution. There are two problems to such thinking. First, studies conducted on the effectiveness of psychological intervention for batterers show that the effect is small and inconsistent. At any rate, counselling is only one of the many strategies needed to combat violence between spouses. Second, making counselling or other intervention programmes mandatory does not mean that they will work better. Under the existing legal system, batterers (and other kinds of offenders) can be required to undergo intervention programmes (including counselling or psychotherapy) as part of their probation conditions. To make interventions for batterers work, the prerequisite is to have an intervention programme that is proven to be effective for the local setting and the local clientele. This is exactly why the government launched a two-year pilot project on the development of batterer intervention programmes. Even when a reliable intervention programme is available, we still have to address many other ethical, cultural and systemic issues in considering the way forward. Helios K. C. Lau, Chief Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department Q How can Hong Kong better protect its heritage? The government officials responsible for the demolition of the Star Ferry pier, ongoing reclamation and the scheduled destruction of Queen's Pier must be soulless and sad individuals with no sense of beauty, heritage and what was wonderful about our city. If they had been listening at all over the past few weeks, they should have received a very strong wake-up call from the community which has expressed its anger at the government's actions and the failure yet again by its advisory body to protect the city's unique heritage and collective memory. It is significant that it has been the young people of Hong Kong, artists, students and creative people, not to mention individual professionals and groups, with the backing and support of the man in the street, who have taken up the role of guardians of Hong Kong's heritage. It is hard to believe that the government is unable to recognise what is unique, special and important about Hong Kong by also allowing the destruction of the former Marine Police headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Wan Chai Market. The government should, without delay, get fresh blood into the Antiquities Advisory Board, take urgent steps to retain Queen's Pier, reduce the Central reclamation, make efforts to save the Wan Chai Market and enter into talks with community leaders and experts to set up a trust to care for our heritage. They should also do a much better job of conserving the former Central Police Station complex on Hollywood Road. Ken Borthwick, Pok Fu Lam On other matters... It was refreshing to read the honest, factual and insightful letter from N.M. Novicio (Talkback, December 20). Your newspaper ought to employ N.M. as a reporter. We might then have fewer 'coloured' stories, unlike the ones written about the Hong Kong babies born to mothers from the mainland. Their stories juxtapose different matters and distort facts and statistics leading to alarming headlines virtually blaming this small percentage of debtors for the deficits of the Hospital Authority. Could I also suggest that fans interested in having intimate photos of their idols link with partners who are media photographers. They can then have all sorts of photos, however revealing, and the worst their photographer partners are likely to get is a slap on the wrist from the media watchdog. Tom Mulvey, Wan Chai The account of the trial of Filipino domestic helper Preslyn-saga Catacutan, documented in the letter of N.M. Novicio made horrifying reading. If it is true, a grave injustice has been done to Ms Catacutan. May I ask that the case goes to appeal as a matter of urgency. In addition, a letter-writing campaign to your newspaper and the head of the judiciary should be started. Finally, if Ms Catacutan's conviction and sentence is found to lack merit, the magistrate should be censured for making such a poor ruling. Chris Stubbs, Mid-Levels Bus drivers who drive recklessly make more money. The root of the problem is that passengers are forced to pay the fare the moment they get on a bus so they cannot do anything if the driver is reckless. I propose that fares be paid when passengers get off the bus. And passengers should have the right not to pay if the driver has been speeding or running red lights: proof by way of a camera-phone image of the speedometer or the red light should be acceptable grounds not to pay the fare. With this scheme the drivers would, overnight, change their habits as they cannot afford to arrive back at the depot with no fares in the box. Edmund Kwok, Mid-Levels
