Decreased Reports of Domestic Violence

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 29 June 2010

“We are happy with the positive result of the survey, but we must do our best to eliminate violence against women in Cambodia.”

Reported domestic violence against women in Cambodia may be decreasing, although the numbers remain relatively high, according to a report released Tuesday.

In a government survey of 3,000 Cambodians, 54 percent said they knew a husband who physically abused his wife, down from 64 percent in a survey from 2005. The survey included 150 local authorities and 150 police.

“We are happy with the positive result of the survey, but we must do our best to eliminate violence against women in Cambodia,” said Ing Kantha Phavi, the Minister of Women’s Affairs.

The survey, conducted with support from non-governmental agencies, also found that 22.5 percent of female respondents suffered some form of abuse at least once in her life.

Meanwhile, nearly a third of the men and a quarter of the women thought it “acceptable” in some circumstances for violent acts against a wife: such as shooting, stabbing or throwing acid.

More than half of the women questioned agreed with at least one reason or another that justified a man beating his wife.