SPF: There’s a 22% Increase in Domestic Violence Since Circuit Breaker Started

With the rise of violent crimes in past weeks, questions have been raised over the impact of Covid-19 on our mental health.

Just last Sunday (10 May), there was a gang fight involving parangs, a gruesome murder, an assault at Bishan, and another attack near an HDB which left the victim sitting in a pool of his own blood.

And with reports of officers being abused becoming more common than long queues at McDonald’s, it’s safe to say that Singaporeans are rather tense at the moment.

These reports are just the tip of the iceberg, however.

SPF: A 22% Increase in Domestic Violence Since Circuit Breaker Started

There has been a 22% increase in the number of family violence-related offences reported since the start of the circuit breaker, the police said.

According to AsiaOne, the police received 476 reports for cases such as hurt, criminal force and assault, and criminal intimidation from 7 April to 6 May, up from the monthly average of 389 cases before the circuit breaker.

And this trend is not unique to Singapore, as many other countries are reporting the same thing.

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Reports of domestic violence in France increased 30% following the country’s lockdown on 17 March, Spain reported 18% more calls in their first two weeks of lockdown, and the U.S. has seen domestic violence cases rise up to 35% in past weeks, reported The Intercept.

According to The Atlantic, financial strain has been linked to increases in the frequency and severity of domestic abuse.

And a 1% increase in the unemployment rate leads to a 25% increase in child neglect and a 12% increase in physical abuse, one study found.

Victims who may have had some respite before the circuit breaker measures when they had time away from their abusers at work are now facing the nightmarish scenario of being trapped indoors with their abuser 24 hours a day.

Plus, calling the police or a friend to report the matter is not easy when you have no time away from your abuser, as some abusers even check their partners’ phones and computers.

So, what can we do?

Targeting the Root Cause

Instead of merely punishing the offenders, the police said they will target the root cause that led the offenders to commit violence against their family members.

Offenders will be referred to social workers or suitable agencies under the Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme (HT CARES) to address the underlying issues through counselling, mental health assistance, and financial assistance.

One shouldn’t assume that this absolves abusers of any wrongdoing, however. Everyone is stressed right now, but not everyone is taking it out physically on other people.

Yet, by addressing the underlying issues which may have led to the abuse, social workers may be able to break the cycle of family violence.

Watching Over High-Risk Victims

The police maintained that they would take tough action against abusers and said it would collaborate with social service agencies to help victims.

Now, the authorities will proactively assess a victim’s risk of encountering further family violence, even if they do not make any request for assistance or shelter.

Those deemed to be of higher risk will be referred to social services.

The police said they will also watch over higher-risk victims closely by checking in on them within the first week of lodging a police report.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Home Affairs) Sun Xueling urged the public to be vigilant and look out for signs of family violence and report their suspicions immediately.

“The simple act of reporting can help save someone’s life or prevent further suffering,” she said.

What To Do If You’re Facing Domestic Violence

If you are facing family violence, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) says there are several courses of action you can take, depending on the nature of the emergency and the level of violence:

• Call for help
• Get medical attention
• Report the matter to the Police
• Seek counselling
• Seek shelter in a crisis shelter
• Seek legal protection

And here are some hotlines you can call:

ComCare Call
1800-222-0000

SOS (24 hours daily)
1800-221-4444

MSF Child Protective Service 
1800-777-0000

Tinkle Friend Helpline (for Child Abuse)
1800-274-4788

Care Corner Project StART
6476 1482

PAVE
6555 0390

TRANS SAFE Centre
6449 9088

Taking out our frustrations on others is cowardly and selfish. Let’s make an effort to address the problems we’re facing in instead of hurting the ones we love.

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