DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: PUBLIC REACTIONS AND STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS

Abstract

This paper was prepared as part of the Domestic Violence against Women Research Project conducted by JEIWA’s Research and Innovation (R&I) with the support of Department of Women’s Development, Malaysia. The paper seeks to explore the factors that contribute to the public reactions to domestic violence against woman and strategic interventions in increasing public awareness. Violence against women deprives women of their right to fully take part in social and economic life. It causes a myriad of physical and mental health issues. An extensive investigation of related literature and in-depth interview with domestic violence witnesses are employed for this purpose. The key findings of this study found that the culture and tradition, social stigma and lack of knowledge of public’s right have been identified as the factors that hinder the community to response to domestic violence perpetration. The findings from this research could help policy makers, authorized agencies and non-governmental organizational leaders to strategize and adequately craft a suitable and high impact program that suits the target groups' needs and lifestyle.