PUTRAJAYA, Aug 15 — The woman who was alleged to have been beaten up by her husband in Bukit Mertajam, Penang has been given temporary shelter and counselling, according to Women, Family and Community Development minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim.
She assured that the 36-year-old alleged victim and her two children aged four and five were in a safe environment while awaiting police investigations to complete.
"The interim protection order was issued by the court today and the ministry is cooperating with the police to resolve the case," she said in a media conference here today.
CCTV footage uploaded on Facebook and YouTube showed the woman being repeatedly punched, slapped and kicked by a man believed to be her husband inside a private hospital lift.
The incident was witnessed by the couple's children. Rohani said the ministry viewed domestic violence seriously and was thankful that there were still people who cared, and initiated to circulate the recording.
"We hope more members of society would be just as caring and inform the authorities to enable them to take action," she said.
Meanwhile, she said based on Social Welfare department records, there were 565 cases of domestic violence last year and 177 cases as at March this year.
In this regard, she said the ministry had chosen the theme, 'Respek Wanita, Masyarakat Sejahtera' for Women's Day 2013 to promote awareness that women had the right to be respected and loved. — Bernama
