KUCHING: Victims of domestic violence are told to go to the hospital immediately to get their medical reports if police personnel refuse to facilitate those who want to lodge a police report.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said she was aware that some police personnel still refuse to accept reports lodged by victims of domestic violence, citing it as a family matter.
As such, she had advised victims to go to the hospital immediately and get their medical reports.
“The (medical) report from the hospital can be used so that police cannot refuse to accept the report lodged by them,” she told the media after launching the book titled ‘Wanita Bangkit’ in Putrajaya yesterday.
“The Social Welfare Department will also issue an Emergency Protection Order to separate the couple if there is abuse,” she said.
She said this when asked to comment on the grievance of a small group of domestic violence victims that certain police personnel refused to accept their reports as they involved family matters.
“We know that for issues like this, there is a Sexual, Women and Children’s Investigations Division (D11) unit that is under the KDN. We will include this matter in future discussions,” she said.
“My ministry would also bring up the matter during engagement sessions with the Home Ministry soon,” she added.
