Spousal abuse is the most common form of family violence in Singapore, according to a new study by Pave, the leading agency that deals with such cases.

Based on 3,600 cases it has handled over the last 10 years, Pave said the study found that victims who are physically or psychologically abused by their spouses made up 72 per cent of new cases.

Pave executive director Sudha Nair said the high rate may not mean that other forms of violence are not prevalent.

"It is just that other forms of abuse, such as elder or child abuse, often go unreported; these are the victims who can't fend for themselves and do not come forward to seek help," said Dr Nair.

That is why the agency hopes more members of the public can come forward to help identify victims of family violence - whether they are married, children, or elderly.

The worsening problem of family violence can be seen by the rise in the number of such cases that went to court. In 1995, the Family Court heard 978 such cases. By last year, the figure had more than tripled to 3,200.

"I think it is a concern because families have come under increasing pressure and strain," said Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah who spoke on Friday at a family violence forum organised by Pave.

To tackle this problem, the newly-established Family Justice Committee has issued several recommendations that will be put up for public consultation early next year.

Among them, the committee hopes to strengthen community touch-points, such as schools, hospitals and family service centres, so that family violence victims can get help earlier, before cases escalate to the courts.

"If you want to save the family and try to make sure the family remains intact, you have to go further upstream," said Ms Indranee, who co-chairs the committee. This means teachers, doctors and lawyers may need to undergo relevant training so they have the skills and knowledge to refer victims for help. Victims could get help at specialist agencies that handle divorce cases or provide mediation services which the committee has suggested setting up.

There are currently three specialist family violence centres here. But they mainly provide counselling for victims and perpetrators and do not offer mediation or divorce-related services.

Pave welcomes the idea, as the proposed agencies could handle family violence cases that are often complex in nature. For example, its study found that four in five victims have suffered both psychological abuse and physical violence.

The study also revealed that while victims of spousal battery are from all age groups, most are females in their 30s and 40s. And more victims who seek help are better educated and command higher pay.

One such victim is Jane (not her real name), a teacher who used to draw a $6,000 monthly salary but later quit her job to become a housewife as demanded by her husband.

She was not allowed to leave the house without his permission. He would also insist on the type of clothes she wore, including revealing cosplay costumes. After going through counselling, she decided to divorce him and obtained a personal protection order against him.

Also, victims from the minority ethnic groups - Indians, Malays and those categorised under Others - are over-represented. East Coast GRC MP Mohamad Maliki Osman, who is Pave's adviser, said the findings show that the parties involved in the cases come from different ethnic groups, education and income levels.

"Over-representation of certain ethnic groups does not mean they are predisposed to violence, but could mean they tend to seek formal assistance more," he said.

He is heartened that not only are more victims coming forward to seek help, they are also doing so earlier. The study found that those in abusive relationships now approach Pave for help five years into their marriage, compared to seven to 10 years of marriage in 2003.

"Coming forward for help does not make you less of a man but makes you a greater one because you are able to admit your vulnerability," said Dr Maliki.

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Read also:
» Spousal violence trends over the last decade

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