By Vivian Yap | Projects Executive
Dear friends of WAO
Much has happened since we first posted our project in June. Here, we include WAO’s statistics on our services from January till June 2011.
Shelter: 52 women and 68 children
Telephone counseling: 639 calls
Face-to-face counseling: 57 sessions with women
Email enquiries: 152 emails
Most of the women sought help because they were affected by domestic violence, followed by cases related to the abuse of migrant domestic workers, single pregnant woman (which is still a social taboo and a crime for Muslim women as sex out of wedlock is punishable under Muslim Law in Malaysia ) and rape.
In August, WAO received information of a Cambodian domestic worker who was abused by a family of three. She worked 17 hours a day and has been with the family since May 2010. A social worker from WAO together with the police came to her rescue instantly.
Read more: http://www.mmail.com.my/content/79749-mad-17hour-shift
WAO employs full-time social workers to provide telephone and face-to-face counseling to women, accompany abused women to court, hospital and police station and also to organize women and children’s empowerment programmes.
Still on the issues concerning domestic workers, WAO wrote to the press on respecting and protecting their rights. Unfortunately for Indonesian domestic worker, Isti Komariyah, she was unable to seek help.
Read about it here: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/6/13/focus/8889260&sec=focus
Lately, WAO also experienced a challenging situation whereby a perpetrator on a search for his wife trespassed on all three properties: the Refuge, Child Care Centre and WAO centre hence compromising the security of staff, women and children. Fortunately, staff were quick to inform the police and they responded by sending patrol cars. Immediately after the incidents, WAO took an extra step in security solution by investing in a CCTV system to ensure everyone’s safety.
If you are keen to know more about WAO, go to facebook.com/wao.malaysia and read press statements and articles under the Notes section, updates on events, news of gender issues locally and internationally and check out photos from past events. It also acts as a platform for WAO to interact with the community so do send us messages or get yourself involved in discussions with our friends and WAO.
You can also start by reading our newsletter!
Thank you.
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