More help for family violence victims in reporting incidents

Victims of family violence will get more help in reporting incidents as the authorities look into strengthening emergency support measures for families here.

Steps will include mobilising social workers to accompany the police for a family violence case and expanding the National Anti-Violence Helpline (NAVH) to include messaging services.

The family violence task force - in a report released yesterday - supported the expansion of the Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme (HT Cares).

Under HT Cares, social workers stationed at police divisions assess what type of social intervention is required for the offender and put the person in touch with the relevant agencies.

From this month, the scheme will also provide help not just to the abuser but also to those living in the same household as the offender being investigated for family violence.

Fei Yue Community Services chief executive Arthur Ling said social workers from his agency are deployed at police stations under the HT Cares scheme. They interview and assess the offenders, and direct them towards the social services support they need.

This could be in the form of counselling, financial counselling for those facing money problems and even arranging for their children to attend childcare.

Mr Ling said: "Family violence could happen because of financial problems and other issues at home. So through HT Cares, we help them deal with the issues that could have led to the violence."

The scheme, which was first piloted in Bedok Police Division in January 2019, has engaged more than 300 offenders.

Similarly, the task force also recommended setting up a 24-hour emergency social service response for family violence cases.

Now, an emergency social service response team from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) responds after office hours but only to cases of child abuse or vulnerable adult abuse, such as that of elderly family members.

The response team will then try to de-escalate tensions and put together an immediate safety plan, for example, requiring a safe adult such as a protective grandparent to be present in the household in the case of child abuse, or requiring the vulnerable adult to temporarily move to a relative's home.

Families are later referred to agencies including family service centres and family violence specialist centres for intervention, such as counselling or treatment to address the issues related to the violence.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Education Sun Xueling said the enhanced emergency response would require "close collaboration between social workers and police enforcement officers. Where a clear grievous offence has occurred and it is arrestable, the police will take action", she said

The Government is considering time-limited protection notices in high-risk cases to protect victims and keep them temporarily separated from the perpetrators, Ms Sun said.

For example, these temporary protection notices can help protect victims while they can take further action, like applying for a personal protection order to ensure their safety in the long term.

The task force report also recommended expanding the NAVH scheme to Internet live chats or mobile and messaging apps to make the helpline accessible to victims who may not be able to call for help.

The 24-hour helpline received 5,300 calls to report family violence between its launch at the start of the year and Aug 31.

MSF said the second phase of the helpline scheme, which may include other channels like mobile apps, will be ready by the second half of next year.

Correction: The story has been edited for clarity.