By Vivian Yap | Projects Executive
Refuge is a place where you seek shelter and are away from danger. You can call it a home or a safe house but the definition of the Refuge will still be the same.
As I walked into the Refuge, I could hear children’s footsteps running to greet me. The women are seated in the living hall having deep conversations. A few others busy in the kitchen. Some of them smiled at me, having seen me before.
I sat down and spoke to my colleague, Sally Wangsawijaya. She is a social worker. I asked her what’s a typical day for her at the Refuge.
“It is unpredictable. It is unexpected. You might have plans but there will be other issues that need your urgent attention. You will need to be with the client when she obtains her protection order or get medical attention. There will be days when you don’t even get to step out because you are handling counselling calls. Then, there is also house issues. The Refuge must be tidy and organised. You attend meetings and speak to the media or give talks at schools. There is a combination of things going on at the same time”, said Sally.
Then, sometimes you get an unpleasant and abrupt shock when you see someone unfamiliar and uninvited at the gate. Perpetrators who are adamant to find their wife or partner or employee. They refuse to budge and they won’t accept no as an answer. They demand and threaten staff and residents to let them in. Some turned up with the police which to us, is unacceptable.
“This is a place where women seek protection. It is a safe house! We always remind the residents, and ourselves, to be vigilant", Sally continued.
Back in my office, I read the Letter to the Editor written by Kristine Yap, WAO’s Advocacy (Communications) Officer. It says “Being responsible for enforcing laws and protection services, the primary duty of PDRM (Polis Diraja Malaysia) is to ensure safety for all. Bearing that in mind, the role of the police in a domestic violence situation is not too different from ours, which is to protect the safety of the victim-survivor. Taking that into account, the police should not reveal the classified address of the shelter to anyone, especially not to the perpetrator”.
You can read further here: http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/280277
There were many success stories where we had assistance from the police during a crisis. So, let’s remind ourselves why we are here doing this work in the first place. It is to ensure the safety of people who needs help and protection.
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By Vivian Yap | Projects Executive
By Vivian Yap | Projects Executive
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