Mounting economic, social and psychological pressure contributed to the spike in domestic violence cases during the Covid-19 Movement Control Order in Malaysia. Domestic violence was reported to have increased 3.4 times in May 2020 compared to the pre-Covid period. This study addresses the persisting issue of domestic violence in Malaysia after Covid-19 by examining the existing laws and proposing legal solutions. It employed doctrinal research with qualitative approach, utilizing primary sources like legislation and case law, along with secondary sources such as journals, newspapers, reports and other online resources. Among the identified laws are the Federal Constitution, Domestic Violence Act 1994 (Act 521), Penal Code (Act 574), Child Act 2001 (Act 611), and Married Woman Act 1957 (Act 450). The research discovered lacunae in the laws including gaps in addressing specific victim groups, insufficient penalties for perpetrators, and reporting barriers. Proposed solutions encompass providing legal aid to victims, establishing a Domestic Violence Court, implementing pre-marital courses, defining psychological and financial abuse explicitly, and assigning additional duties to medical practitioners. Collaboration between government, relevant authorities, and the community is necessary to address these gaps and combat domestic violence effectively. This research contributes in identifying gaps in the current legal framework and suggesting appropriate legal solutions for domestic violence.
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(Le et al., 2024)
Le, L. J., Xin, L. H., Ganeson, T., & Mohamad, S. N. A. binti S. N. (2024). Domestic Violence in Malaysia During Post-Covid-19 Era: Any Legal Solution? International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(6), 1537–1563.
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