KUALA LUMPUR – In view of the rising incidence of domestic violence in this country, fuelled largely by the protracted Covid-19 pandemic, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) has mobilised an initiative to make mosques a transit centre for victims of domestic violence.
Jawi is collaborating with the Women’s Development Department under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to implement the initiative, which kicked off in May this year.
Jawi director Datuk Mohd Ajib Ismail said the refuges are open to both women and men, including non-Muslims, subjected to physical or mental abuse.
He said this programme is among the initiatives under the Pelan Pengimarahan Masjid-Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan 2020-2024, a five-year plan aimed at expanding the role of mosques located in the federal territories and mobilising them to serve as local community centres providing various facilities to meet the psychosocial and spiritual needs of people from all walks of life.
Ajib said that to get it going, two mosques – the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and Al-Ghufran Mosque in Taman Pinggir Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur – have been selected as pioneers for the transit centre initiative.
He said the facility is only meant for victims of domestic violence who have nowhere to go and need immediate protection.
“The mosque concerned will provide protection to the victim on condition that a police report related to the domestic violence case has been lodged and, if needed, an emergency protection order has been issued by the Social Welfare Department,” he said.
Elaborating on the initiative, Ajib said throughout the victim’s stay at the transit centre, they would be given spiritual guidance by mosque officials and counselling by the Social Welfare Department to help them to make rational decisions and consider the next course of action.
He said Jawi has also identified another 12 mosques which, in addition to serving as transit centres, would also double up as counselling centres and a place where complaints against domestic violence can be lodged, as well as conduct activities to raise awareness on domestic violence in society. – Bernama, September 8, 2021
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