Legal and NGOs officials are concerned over domestic violence law implementation, not disseminating enough information to law enforcement officials and the general public.
Executive director of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC) in Phnom Penh, Ms. Ung Chanthol says that people all over Cambodia are not aware of the law against domestic violence and the protection of the victims which was in effect in 2005. She says that this contributes to the increase in domestic violence and its more serious nature.
In a one day conference with law enforcement on domestic violence's officials, Ms. Ung Chanthol says that even though this law has been enforced, domestic violence has not subsided, and that the CWCC found an increase to 1,700 cases this year. She says that most victims are housewives, beaten by their husbands who used knives, axes, and batons, and that sometimes resulting in the victims' deaths.
Ms Ung says that among the victims, 98% are women. She says that the dissemination of information to the victims is important to make them aware of their own rights, for their legal protection.
Ministry of Women's and Veteran's Affairs' Secretary, Khim Chamreun says that she is concerned about the delay in disseminating the information about the law, that domestic violence may increase, and that the victims may not be informed about their rights. She would like to see this law being widely disseminated so that both sexes are well aware of it, and that some husbands (use some excuses) by alleging that they only beat their own wives (a personal affair).
A domestic violence victim, Ms. Chanthan says that she is divorced from her husband because she cannot bear being mistreated any more. She says that he insulted her, wsishing to see her die as soon as possible and forced her to look for a job while she was sick.