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SINGAPORE: Family Courts of Justice issued fewer personal protection orders (PPOs) during the “breaker” months of April and May, compared to other months this year.
In his written response to Sengkang GRC Member of Parliament (MP) He Ting Ru on Tuesday (Oct 6), Minister of Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli shared the number of PPOs and Domestic Exclusion Orders (DEOs) issued each month. from the beginning of the year until August.
People who suffer family violence can apply to the Family Justice Courts for a PPO or a DEO according to the Women’s Charter.
The number of police reports of family violence increased during the circuit break period. Complaints were filed for crimes associated with family violence, such as criminal injury, violence and assault, criminal intimidation and improper confinement, police said in May.
READ: 22% Increase in Family Violence Reports Since Breaker Period Start: SPF
Police have received an average of 415 reports of family violence per month since April, Internal Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in answering another question from Ms He’s about the number of cases of domestic abuse since the switch was started.
“WRONG PERCEPTION THAT COURT SERVICES ARE NOT AVAILABLE”
The lower number of PPOs issued during the circuit breaker was “possibly due to the misperception that judicial services were not available,” Masagos said.
“The (Ministry of Social and Family Development) and partners continued to closely monitor family violence and ensured that services remained available, even during the period of interruption,” he added.
READ: The COVID-19 Situation Reveals What Domestic Abuse Victims Face
On average, Family Justice Courts awarded about 75 PPOs and seven DEOs per month since the start of the breaker period, Masagos said.
“The monthly average from April to August is similar to the monthly average for the first three months of 2020,” he added.
40% OF THE CASES INVESTIGATED
Ms. He also asked Mr. Shanmugam about the number of complaints that were investigated by the police and the percentage of such cases that ultimately led to charges being brought by the Attorney General.
Investigations were started in more than 40 percent of the cases, Shanmugam said.
“For all reports, the police will assess the facts and circumstances of the case to determine whether investigations should be initiated,” he added.
About 3 percent of the investigated cases were prosecuted in court, and about 12 percent received warnings instead of prosecution, Shanmugam said.
“Family violence cases often have complex underlying problems and prosecution is not always the optimal solution,” he added.
“In some cases, other avenues of assistance may be more appropriate. For example, the police may advise the victim to apply for a protection order or refer the family to social service agencies for advice and assistance. “
READ: New AWARE chat service to provide more support to victims of abuse and violence
Gender equality advocacy group AWARE said they have seen a significant increase in the number of calls about family violence to their helpline.
In a June 30 report, AWARE said there were 109 calls to its helpline in March about family violence, compared to 66 calls the previous year.
In April this year, the helpline received 129 of those calls, an increase of 119 percent from the 59 calls it received in April of last year.
There was also a 180 percent increase in such calls in June 2020 compared to the same month last year, from 76 calls to 180 calls.
“These numbers are likely to be higher if we take into account all the people who cannot ask for help and support because they are isolated from their abusers and lack privacy to call,” AWARE said.
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