More than 14,000 reports of women and children being abused were lodged over the past 12 months, when the incidence of domestic violence rose sharply across the country, Public Health Ministry spokesman Supan Srithamma said yesterday.

There were 14,382 victims of violence from October 2005 to September this year, and half (7,164) were younger than 18, Supan said. The total number of reports was 40-per-cent up on the previous year.

The figures showed that on average 39 women and children were victims of violence every day.

Tomorrow is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, which aims to curb a problem that affects nearly two million people worldwide each year and causes the deaths of 10 per cent of those aged from 15 to 44.

In Thailand, efforts to deal with the problem include the ministry's 104 One-Stop Crisis Centres (OSCC) nationwide and the 1669 help hotline, Supan said.

Just over half of the incidents reported - 52 per cent - were physical abuse, followed by sexual assaults at 43 per cent, Supan said. Boyfriends or friends made up more than a third of the attackers, followed by husbands at 24 per cent and relatives at 15 per cent.

Alcohol was a factor in about 28 per cent of the violence, while 24 per cent was caused by jealousy, Supan said.

Some 61 per cent of total victims (8,797) had to undergo mental rehabilitation.

Supan said the ministry this year expanded its domestic violence crisis centres to five more hospitals in Central Thailand and would next year produce a programme and database for abuse victims.

Meanwhile, Deputy Bangkok Governor Puttipong Punnakan yesterday launched a "community power to stop violence" campaign in the capital.

He said the city had set aside Bt50 million for activities to end violence against women and children by changing men's thinking and strengthening community ties.

According to the International Health Policy Programme, domestic violence is widespread and causes national economic losses worth Bt36.6 billion a year, and thus related laws need changing for stronger enforcement.

Duangkamol     Sajirawatthanakul

Jirawan Prasomsap

The Nation