Sexual Violence - Reporting issues

Sexual Violence, under-reporting

Is there under-reporting?
Yes, always
(problems are no definition to the denominator)


Under-reporting rate?
Numerator = reporting to police or NGO?
Denominator = ?

(11+6) / 136 = 12.5% [Ref 1]

[Ref 1, page 22]

Under-reporting - factors

A Survey on Hong Kong Women’s Experience of Sexual Violence 2013, by HK Women's Coalition on Equal Opportunities. [Ref 1].

sample size = 136

sexual violence includes intercourse (vaginal/oral/anal, indecent assault 非禮)

Reasons for not reporting:

• feeling ashamed 70 
• Afraid of trouble/feel helpless 47 
• Afraid of untrusting or blaming 43 
• don't know how to respond 21 
• Afraid to affect relations/safety 20 
• I don't know how to help 18 
• person has escaped 6

Legislative Council 2015, Panel on Welfare Services, Report of Subcommittee on Strategy and Measures to Tackle Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence [Ref 2]

• Dec 2014 to Feb 2016
• The subcommittee had total of 13 meetings, 20 pages of report with 69 points  and 18 recommendations to government.

The negative attitudes towards sex workers by some front-line police offices have denied sex workers suffering sexual violence access to necessary support and services.  [Ref 2, page 16, point 60]

One-stop services?

Can one-stop services tackle the above factors, namely, front-line police offices attitude, reasons for not reporting (e.g. feeling ashamed, afraid of trouble, afraid of untrusting or blaming, afraid to affect relations, person has escaped)

A question by the Dr. the Honourable Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr. Lai Tung-kwok, in the Legislative Council on 14 December 2016 [Ref 3]Question:
     According to the Information to Adult Sexual Violence Victims published by the Hong Kong Police Force in June this year, when victims of sexual violence, after making a Police report, have been sent to any public hospital for consultation and treatment and if the situation allows, they may choose to give their witness statements and undergo forensic examinations in the same hospital. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

• (4) whether it has assessed if the places and facilities in various public hospitals where victims of sexual violence give their witness statements and undergo forensic examinations conform to the relevant guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO); if it has assessed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the details of such places and facilities, and whether it can furnish the relevant photographs to this Council; if the assessment outcome is in the negative, whether the authorities have plans to upgrade such places and facilities so that they comply with WHO's relevant guidelines; if they have such plans, of the implementation timetable?

Reply:

• (4) According to the Guidelines for Medico-legal Care for Victims of Sexual Violence of the World Health Organization, the place for statement-taking and forensic examination should be private, clean, secure and with 24-hour accessibility to necessary services to provide victims with the necessary protection. The A&E departments under the HA provide round-the-clock service with police officers on duty and strict infection control measures in place to ensure protection in the above-mentioned aspects.

Hardware vs software - A multidisciplinary team working without teamwork
The Social Welfare Department has established the Working Group on Combating Violence (the Working Group) to facilitate communication and co-operation among government departments and organisations in the handling of sexual violence cases. Chaired by the Director of Social Welfare and comprising representatives from different government bureaux and departments (e.g. the Security Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force (the Police) and the Education Bureau), the Hospital Authority (HA) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Working Group is responsible for advising the Government on strategies and measures to tackle sexual violence.  [Ref 4]

REFERENCES

• [Ref 1] A Survey on Hong Kong Women’s Experience of Sexual Violence 2013, by HK Women's Coalition on Equal Opportunities.
• [Ref 2] Legislative Council 2015, Panel on Welfare Services, Report of Subcommittee on Strategy and Measures to Tackle Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence
• [Ref 3] A question by the Dr. the Honourable Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, in the Legislative Council on 14 December 2016
• [Ref 4] Legislative Council Panel on Welfare Services Subcommittee on Strategy and Measures to Tackle Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Support Services for Victims of Sexual Violence LC Paper No. CB(2)225/15-16(01) 10 November 2015

Dr. Pierre Chan

1 June 2018