Over 1,200 criminal cases of domestic abuse handled by HK police in 2023

Hong Kong police handled more than 1,200 criminal cases of domestic violence in 2023, the highest number since 2019, official data submitted to the legislature has shown. The number of child protection cases managed by social welfare authorities also reached a five-year high last year.

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) handled 1,457 child protection cases in 2023, around 45 per cent more than the 1,006 cases in 2019, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun wrote in response to questions on domestic violence from lawmaker Lilian Kwok on Wednesday.

According to previous figures from the SWD, these cases involved physical harm or abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, psychological harm or abuse and multiple abuses of the children. In 2023, 41 per cent of the cases involved physical abuse.

Sun’s reply on Wednesday also revealed that 1,938 spouse or cohabitant battering cases were dealt with by the government department, the lowest since 2019, when 2,920 cases were recorded.

The battering cases involved physical, sexual, psychological and multiple abuses. Almost 80 per cent of the cases handled by the department last year involved physical violence, figures released earlier by the SWD showed.

The city’s police force, however, saw an increase in domestic violence crimes in 2023, according to data attached to Sun’s reply. A total of 1,236 criminal cases were reported to police last year, involving violence between people who were married, separated or divorced couples, cohabitants or former cohabitants, and lovers or former lovers that had a continuing relationship.

The offences included murder, manslaughter, wounding, serious assault, rape, indecent assault, criminal intimidation, criminal damage and possession of offensive weapons.

Separately, the police recorded 7,560 cases of domestic incidents last year, which were family-related incidents that did not involve violence or a breach of the peace, such as disputes, nuisance, annoyance or conflicts. The figure in 2023 was similar to those recorded in previous years.

The Social Welfare Department told HKFP on Wednesday that the department and the police had different definitions of domestic violence or abuse, and the scope of cases covered by the two units was not the same. Their figures were therefore different and not comparable, a department spokesperson said.

Sun told the legislators that the police would refer cases to the SWD with consent from the individuals concerned, who may be offered admission to refuge centres or immediate intervention by outreaching social workers. For high-risk cases, the department would make crisis intervention and provide necessary support after police referral, the minister said.

Sun added that those who refused to accept referral services would be given a Family Support Service Information Card by the police to help seek assistance from other service agencies.

In July, Hong Kong passed a bill requiring teachers, social workers, doctors and other specified professionals to report suspected serious child abuse cases. Those who fail to comply could face up to three months in prison and a fine of HK$50,000.

Calls for the legislation were renewed in recent years after Hong Kong saw a number of scandals at child care centres and schools across the city. At the end of 2021, more than 30 staff at the Children’s Residential Home were arrested over mistreatment of young children. The alleged abuse included head-hitting, hair-pulling, slapping, and tossing the children onto the ground and towards the wall. 

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