Domestic violence has been an ongoing issue here in Malaysia, with cases seeing an increase during the pandemic.
However, a recent survey shows that Malaysians' infamous 'tidak apa' attitude could be one of the main reasons behind the rise in domestic abuse cases in the country.
According to the survey quoted by Malay Mail, 53.3 per cent of the 1,000 respondents who took part in the survey believed that domestic violence is a “normal” reaction of frustration and stress.
On top of that, 43 per cent of those who were polled believed that a woman can tick off a man so much, it makes him hit her when he does not mean to.
One of the main reasons that trigger domestic abuse is apparently jealously, as 30 per cent of the respondents believed that women who flirt often are to blame for causing their partners to hit them.
Thankfully, only 26.5 per cent believed that domestic violence is “forgivable” if the offender is so angry that they lose control.
“These suggest that there are still circumstances for which VAW (violence against women) is acceptable such as when perceived as an emotional gesture, or in the event the victim has behaved in a way that triggers the abuse.
“Malaysians also tend to underestimate the complexity of abuse, with 37.1 per cent of the survey population believing that it is not as hard to leave an abusive relationship, and 44.9 per cent who believe that women who stay with their abusive partners, are also responsible for the ongoing abuse,” WAO said in the statement.
However, there's still a sliver for humanity yet, as 83.4 per cent of respondents agree that rape happens when a man cannot control his desires.
Some of the revelations that came of the survey are, indeed, kind of worrying.
As a whole, we feel that we Malaysians need to do better to protect the women of the country.
If you, or you know someone, who is a victim of domestic abuse, you can call the WAO hotline at +603 3000 8858 (24 hours) or SMS/WhatsApp TINA at +6018 988 8058 (24 hours). Alternatively, you can check out this website for more information.
MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: Malay Mail
However, a recent survey shows that Malaysians' infamous 'tidak apa' attitude could be one of the main reasons behind the rise in domestic abuse cases in the country.
A worrying revelation
A survey released by the rights group Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) on Monday (15 November) revealed that more than half of Malaysians believe that domestic abuse is a natural reaction to stress.According to the survey quoted by Malay Mail, 53.3 per cent of the 1,000 respondents who took part in the survey believed that domestic violence is a “normal” reaction of frustration and stress.
On top of that, 43 per cent of those who were polled believed that a woman can tick off a man so much, it makes him hit her when he does not mean to.
One of the main reasons that trigger domestic abuse is apparently jealously, as 30 per cent of the respondents believed that women who flirt often are to blame for causing their partners to hit them.
Thankfully, only 26.5 per cent believed that domestic violence is “forgivable” if the offender is so angry that they lose control.
“These suggest that there are still circumstances for which VAW (violence against women) is acceptable such as when perceived as an emotional gesture, or in the event the victim has behaved in a way that triggers the abuse.
“Malaysians also tend to underestimate the complexity of abuse, with 37.1 per cent of the survey population believing that it is not as hard to leave an abusive relationship, and 44.9 per cent who believe that women who stay with their abusive partners, are also responsible for the ongoing abuse,” WAO said in the statement.
Women's role in rape cases
In another shocking revelation, the survey also found that 51.3 per cent of Malaysians believed that rape happens due to the way a woman dresses.However, there's still a sliver for humanity yet, as 83.4 per cent of respondents agree that rape happens when a man cannot control his desires.
Some of the revelations that came of the survey are, indeed, kind of worrying.
As a whole, we feel that we Malaysians need to do better to protect the women of the country.
If you, or you know someone, who is a victim of domestic abuse, you can call the WAO hotline at +603 3000 8858 (24 hours) or SMS/WhatsApp TINA at +6018 988 8058 (24 hours). Alternatively, you can check out this website for more information.
MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: Malay Mail
