Sunday, March 10, 2013

Domestic violence in Cambodia

Cambodia: Domestic violence in Cambodia, in particular, its prevalence and whether there are laws to protect the victims; if so, whether these laws are enforced; protection provided by the government.


Is the prevalence of domestic violence in Cambodia, to a large extent, an inevitable extension and consequence of systematic, institutionalised violence and coercion meted out to non-compliant citizens by the ruling state? - School of Vice

"The police intervene in cases of domestic violence only when a woman is severely injured or killed."


Cambodia's long serving PM and sole Law-Maker routinely projects and fosters his own violent cult of personality onto the nation and the public through monopolised state media - which means virtually all broadcasting media channels in the country. No one - it seems - is spared from his outpourings of psychotic mood-swings and tantrums; not even his own entire sheepish cabinet and several dozen Deputy Prime Ministers whose physical attendance and presence at his [almost daily!] speech conferences and lectures are a matter of life and death requirement. And death - or the spectre of death [with him it's normally a violent death, rather than a quiet one! - see the late Hok Lundy] is indeed literally on offer to members of even his own inner party circle who or should they ever harbour thought of challenging his grip on power. By tying his lieutenants and deputies to this seemingly endless sequence of circus, the ever distrusting, paranoia plagued PM could at least have all the potential rivals and schemers [bar the ailing Mr Chea Sim] within his sight where he can count them out like a farmer does with his domestic stock of cattle at dusk or daybreak! They also would have less time on their hands plotting against him where their whole public life and professional career are devoted to forming and being a part of his entourage and circus in this way, and besides, they might well end up being indoctrinated or duped -or both!- by his otherwise mind-numbing speeches - saturated as these are to the core with 'violence' ...  School of Vice


All the sources consulted that mentioned domestic violence in Cambodia indicated that this phenomenon was widespread (Fraternet Aug. 2000a; Oxfam Mar. 1999; Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003, Intro.; FVPF n.d.). Once source estimated that one in six women is a victim of violence inflicted by her husband (Fraternet Aug. 2000a), while another source put the number at one in four women (Alternatives 1 Mar. 2003). A study revealed that more than 10 per cent of Cambodian men reported that they used violence on their wives (FVPF n.d.). Traditional Cambodian ideas view domestic violence as a private matter and a woman as one of her husband's possessions (Oxfam Mar. 1999). It is not considered abnormal, according to some interpretations of this tradition, for a man to try to [translation] "discipline" his wife with violence (Alternatives 1 Mar. 2003).

Cambodia is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Cambodia Daily 26 May 2003). Furthermore, its constitution and federal laws condemn violence and discrimination (Fraternet Aug. 2000b). The government also supports various women's rights organizations (FVPF n.d.).


It is worth noting, however, that there is no specific law against domestic violence (ibid.; Fraternet Aug. 2000b). Nor does Cambodian society recognize the concept of rape within a marriage (FVPF n.d.). Although there was draft legislation that defined domestic violence as a crime, it sank into oblivion when parliament recessed for the 27 July 2003 general elections (Asian Political News 28 July 2003). The fact that it is extremely difficult to obtain a divorce (it can take up to three years) simply adds to the legal obstacles that women from violent homes must overcome (FVPF n.d.).

When the Cambodian Prime Minister spoke in 2001 on the matter of domestic violence in his country, he said that it had shown "a remarkable increase" in previous months (AFP 9 May 2001). In fact, between 2000 and 2001, the rate of domestic violence rose by 19.8 per cent (Xinhua News Agency 7 Mar. 2002). The Prime Minister also said that domestic violence often resulted in murder (AFP 9 May 2001). The Ministry of Women's Affairs and the Ministry of Women's and Veteran's Affairs are two government organizations that deal with women's issues in Cambodia (WILPF n.d.). However, no information on whether these federal organizations offer protective services to victims of domestic violence could be found among the sources consulted.

Amnesty International underlined the fact that there is still a wide gap between Cambodia's human rights obligations and the measures taken by the government to improve the situation (19 June 2002). A United Nations representative in Cambodia said that the judiciary and police force were powerless and that ordinary Cambodians had lost faith in them (AFP 9 May 2001; see also AI 19 June 2002). Cases of rape, for example, rarely go to court, and in the few cases in which the aggressor is convicted, the punishment is often [translation] "laughable" (Fraternet Aug. 2000b). In short, although violence against women is on the rise in Cambodia, the perpetrators are almost never punished (Cambodia Daily 2 Dec. 2002). The authorities generally do not get involved in "domestic disputes" (Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003, Sec. 5). The police intervene in cases of domestic violence only when a woman is severely injured or killed (FVPF n.d.). Often, the woman cannot even rely on her neighbours or family for protection or support (ibid.). On the contrary, in many cases, mothers urge their daughters to return to their violent husbands (ibid.).

Nearly the entire burden of defending women's rights in Cambodia rests on local non-governmental organizations (Fraternet Aug. 2000b) that provide services and shelter to victims of domestic violence (Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003, Sec. 5). The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom lists 10 non-governmental organizations in Cambodia that strive to improve the status of women's rights in Cambodia (n.d.). The Project Against Domestic Violence (PADV) is one of very few non-governmental organizations in Cambodia dedicated exclusively to the prevention and elimination of domestic violence (Oxfam Mar. 1999). The PADV's main strategy is to increase public awareness and change the attitude toward domestic violence (ibid.). A new program, which is supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, broadcasts shows on national radio that encourage victims of domestic violence to talk about their situation, and gives referrals to legal and psychological specialists (UNDP 8 Aug. 2002).

On 26 May 2003, the Cambodia Daily newspaper announced that the Governor of Phnom Penh and the Minister of the Interior had denied the Cambodian Committee for Women (Canbow) permission to demonstrate in front of the National Assembly. Among other things, the group was demanding the implementation of a domestic violence law, and the authorities maintained that its demonstration could have shattered the peace in the capital (Cambodia Daily 26 May 2003).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.


Source: UNHCR - 
9 December 2003

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

cambodia is currently running by a cruel former Khmer rough hun sen ,ho nam hong , kiet chun ,chia sim hen som rin etc.

Anonymous said...

yeah so? what are you going to do about it?

Anonymous said...

Dear Lok School Of Vice,

Always enjoy your insight analysis of the Cambodian Politic.
I am puzzled though in your statement in which you was wondering if any of these So called minister ever have time to do their job?
lest we forget that these guys were installed to front THE VIETNAMIZATION of Cambodia; in short they are doing the best they can while administratively Cambodia is operated by all the Vietnamese specialists. Cush jobs indeed, just be part of the entourage for show and you get millions in tea money. Build bridge, dam and highways? no worry check with the pay master for a loan and claim victory.
If they happen to really doing anything is to worry who will kick their behind in the election, so brutality is the name of their game, Can not take a loss.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen is a big baby. Remember that while Mom Sonando was overseas in France, Hun Sen made a public speech ordered to arrest Mom Sonando nomatter of being the ring leader of a anti-state government no matter, where he hides.

This big baby cries wolf..

Anonymous said...

ក្នុងមួយពិភពលោកនេះ អ្នកណាៗក៏ដឹងគ្រប់គ្នាទាំងអស់ថា
អាយ៉ងខ្វាក់ក្បត់ជាតិ ហ៊ុន សែន នេះ ជាមេក្បត់ជាតិ, ជាមេ
លក់ជាតិ, ជាមេឃាតករឈាមត្រជាក់, ជាមេខ្មែរក្រហម,
ជាមេទុច្ចរិត, ជាមេពុករលួយ, ជាមេយូកូងបាតផ្សារ,
ជាមេអបគមន៍, ជាមេក្រុមមនុស្សពាល នៅកម្ពុជាដែរ...!
ហើយក៏ជាមេគ្រោះថ្នាក់ធំជាងគេនៅក្នុងប្រទេសខ្មែរសព្វ
ថ្ងៃនេះ បើខ្មែរយើងមិនរួមគ្នាកំចាត់វានិងបក្សពួកវាចោលទេ ប្រទេសខ្មែរគ្មានថ្ងៃបានសុខសាន្ត និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ប្រទេសជាតិ
ឱ្យចម្រើនលូតលាស់បានឡើយ។
អាខ្វាក់អន្តរធាន..! អាងាប់អន្តរធាន..!អាមេយូកូងបាតផ្សារ..!

New Phally said...

The law enforcement were weak in Cambodia, the cops did not executed their duties to protect people from violence.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen is a Youn dog. Evicting Khmer from their ancestors land in order to provide more land for Youn land encroachment, and more land for Chinese soft loans.

Anonymous said...

12:48 PM

Does your sister look wicked damn sexy like her?

Anonymous said...

about time KI Media respect the dignity of this VICTIM and stop publishing this denigrating photo. why don't you focus on the perpetrators of the crime? how about some common sense?

Anonymous said...


ការបំភ័នមត្តិប្រជាជនខ្មែរដោយប្រើក័លបិច្ចថោកទាបនេះ អាចឧ្យមានការផ្ទុយទៅនឹងសេចក្តីសង្ឃឹមច្រើន
របស់គណបក្បប្រឆាំងថានឹងអាចឆ្នះឆ្នោតនៅពេល
មុខនេះ។

Anonymous said...

A Hun is a VC and a murderer!!!!!!!!!blooodsucker!!!!!!!!!! I hope your mfk clan will go to hell soon. fk a hun parents for giving birth to him. Wake up people, lets go to destroy a hun and his family tree too....to hell a kwak HUn Sin son of a VC who has no heart and no feeling for anyone, mfk.....

Anonymous said...

Som bei ter kay vika kor bang hagn ouy ke deng tha vear niss chea mor nuss khou khouv nass tov heuy!

Anonymous said...

shut the fuck up!!! motherfucker hun sen No Youn vc aggressor,You are homeless Man!

Anonymous said...

Xam Rainxy,barn juoy monouf kho khov niss oy mean AMNARCH jreun anatt mok heuil.
Kour bontof lok Xam Rainxy phorng !

Anonymous said...

this was old story, do not exist

Anonymous said...

I am totally in agreement with 2:21 PM and would also request that this picture of the victim not be posted anymore to avoid irresponsible comments on her.

Pissed Off

Anonymous said...

I want to puke every time I see Hun Sen's and his wife' s face.




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