New System Allows People To Check Whether Their Partners Have A History of Abuse Before Marriage

One of the biggest topics to have surfaced as a result of the Movement Control Order is domestic violence. Based on data that was collected through the Women and Family Development Ministry’s Talian Kasih hotline, reports on domestic violence during the MCO period have gone up as much as 57% as of 26th March 2020.

But instances of domestic abuse may be able to be nipped in the bud, if individuals who are intent on getting married are well aware of the background of their partners and whether they have any histories of domestic abuse prior to getting married.

This is exactly the issue that Chinese city Yiwu in the Zhejiang province is trying to tackle with their newly launched inquiry service that will allow residents to determine whether their partners have any past history of abuse either towards “family members or cohorts” by filling out a form, according to The Paper.

The information will be provided through the city’s courts and public security offices, collected as far back as 2017.

What makes this system all the more convenient is that you will only need to provide a formal means of identification, and information about your partner to obtain information. However, it should be noted that individuals are only allowed to make two inquiries every year, reports the BBC.

Will we see such innovative systems being implemented in place in Malaysia to combat domestic abuse? That remains unclear, but one thing is certain: instances of violence at home have not subsided in our country. Through a study conducted by Yeong Pay Jung on Domestic Violence and the Safety of Women During Covid-19, the Women’s Aid Organisation saw reports of domestic abuse spike by 112.2% in April 2020, as compared to February 2020.

While hotlines are a good step forward in providing a point of contact through which individuals may report on cases of domestic violence, preventive measures such as a collective database that identify future perpetrators may help stamp out these incidents from taking place to begin with.

If you know of any incidents of domestic abuse, or are a victim of abuse yourself, please contact either Talian Kasih at 15999, or the Women’s Aid Organisation at +603 7956 3488. 

Also read: Domestic Abuse Has Increased in Malaysia During MCO, But Why Is It So Hard For Women to Break Free?