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Since the circuit breaker started, police have seen a 22 percent increase in reports of crimes related to family violence.
From April 7 to May 6, they received 476 reports of cases such as injuries, criminal force and assault, criminal intimidation and unlawful confinement, compared to the monthly average of 389 cases before the circuit breaker.
In a press release on Thursday (May 14), the police said they will take tough measures against those who abuse their family members and will also improve collaboration with social service agencies to combat family violence.
Such measures include proactive assessment of the victim’s risk of encountering more family violence, even if victims do not request assistance or refuge. Those evaluated as having the highest risk will be referred to social services.
Police said they will also closely monitor the highest-risk victims. This is done by checking with them if they need more help within the first week of filing a police report.
Early intervention for family violence offenders.
[[nid:488086]]To break the cycle of family violence, the police will focus on the root cause that led criminals to commit acts of violence against their families.
Under the local team’s Community Assistance and Referral Scheme (HT CARES), offenders will be referred to appropriate social workers or agencies to address underlying problems through counseling, mental health assistance, and financial assistance.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Home Affairs) Sun Xueling noted: “Global trends show that the stress and social isolation caused by Covid-19 could lead to more cases of family violence.”
“There may be many reasons why victims do not specifically request assistance or shelter, but to better protect them, the police will proactively refer victims at increased risk of further violence to social service agencies and will also follow up by checking them. for sure they are fine, “he said.
He also urged community members to look for signs of family violence and report their suspicions so that victims can receive help as soon as possible.
“Simply reporting can help save someone’s life or prevent further suffering.”
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