Ministry allocates SR10.4m for victims of domestic violence

Dr. Modi bint Hamdan Al-Zahrani, director of the Welfare and Hospitality Home for Girls in Riyadh, commended efforts by the Ministry of Social Affairs toward the problem of domestic violence in the Kingdom. The ministry deals with this problem through its general secretariat, social security and ministry’s branches across the Kingdom. The ministry offers services either by conducting social studies, keeping victims in the ministry’s branches, or through financial and other aid in coordination with authorities, under the supervision of Social Affairs Minister Majed Al-Qassabi. Al-Zahrani pointed out that as a result of a report, SR10.4 million was allocated for 14 charities to open departments for social protection. Work is under way to prepare these homes in addition to the launching of an awareness campaign to curb this problem. She said society has known violence for a long time and many people suffer. Domestic violence started to surface in Saudi Arabia because of changing social, cultural and economic situations. Aspects of violence, such as abusing children and wives, are alien to Saudi society, which means there should be immediate action from officials to curb this phenomenon and its subsequent results. The ministry established the social guidance unit, followed by the public home for social protection, which aimed to spread awareness within society about the importance of protecting family members from harm. The home aims to offer protection from harm and offer help to abused individuals. Al-Zahrani said shelters are supposed to be the last resort, and committees that receive reports of abuse try to solve the matter through concentrating on guidance and therapeutic sessions. She pointed out that a call center for harm and abuse has been set up and works around-the-clock receiving complaints. The ministry held training sessions for its employees in coordination with UNICEF, and has published brochures and booklets about social protection including the distribution of 1 million introductory bulletins about the work of the social protection unit in cooperation with the Saudi-Fransi Bank. The Council of Ministers issued a resolution to curb domestic violence by opening protection units in all provinces and governorates in coordination with relevant authorities. They started in highly populated areas where violence was greater, and provided trained cadre to run these units. Charitable societies are encouraged to open social protection units in provinces and governorates that lack them, and draft media and educational plans that focus on protective programs carried out through the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Education and the General Presidency for Youth Affairs. Other recommendations urge the Ministry of Education to place greater emphasis on concepts that promote forgiveness and reject violence in their curricula. The ministry is devising a program to train its staff within the family safety program. In addition, there should also be training workshops for specialists and workers in the field of dealing with violence cases in addition to holding workshops for people of marrying age. The ministry also contracted King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology to create a strategy to stand up to domestic violence and conduct a study about educational programs. For female convicts who have been rejected by their families, the Kingdom has established homes to receive them after they finish their prison sentences. These homes specialize in training, education, rehabilitation and marriage. -arabnews