Domestic Violence amongst Live-in Partners

Ms Mary Liew asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the last five years how many reports of domestic violence perpetrated by unmarried live-in partners have been received from women; (b) what measures are in place to protect such women; and (c) whether there is a need to review the existing laws to accord better protection to such women, such as giving them access to Personal Protection Orders and Domestic Exclusion Orders.

The Member has asked for a very specific statistic – the number of reports of domestic violence perpetrated against women by their unmarried live-in partners. As the Police does not track such cases as a distinct category, I am unable to provide the statistics requested.

The Government does not condone acts of domestic violence, regardless of the marital circumstances. The Penal Code criminalises acts of violence, ranging from criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt, to rape. This applies equally to perpetrators of domestic violence who might commit such acts against their unmarried live-in partners.

Protection Orders (POs) were created under the Women’s Charter to send a strong signal that domestic violence within the context of the family would not be tolerated, while creating opportunities for families, victims and perpetrators to heal these relationships. The Government has adopted this approach in recognition that family ties are life-long and rehabilitation plays a crucial role in preserving these relationships. Hence, although Domestic Exclusion Orders are a possible condition within the POs, the PO may also require other measures, such as counselling for all parties involved.

In addition to legal recourse available to all victims of domestic violence, non-legal interventions are of equal, if not greater, importance in meeting the needs of victims of domestic violence. The National Family Violence Networking System, jointly administered by MCYS and SPF, coordinates interventions for both the victims and the perpetrators of family violence, regardless of marital status, in a holistic manner. A wide range of services is available through this system, including counselling, medical services and temporary crisis shelters.

Any victim of domestic violence in Singapore, including women facing violence from unmarried live-in partners, can seek assistance from this system by approaching the Police or a Family Service Centre, or by calling the ComCare Helpline.

While a range of legal and non-legal interventions already exist to help victims of domestic violence, the Government will monitor the situation to determine if additional measures are necessary.