WAO hotline calls increased three-fold since pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR – The Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) records a three-fold increase in their hotline calls since the pandemic from individuals on various issues.

Its Service Director Charlene Fay Murray said most of the calls received were on sexual violence, harassment, rape and sexual harassment in the workplace.

However, since the pandemic began, a fair amount of these calls have requested mental health and emotional services that are affordable.

"We receive approximately 700 calls per month and since the pandemic, we had to include an additional way to categorise the calls on individuals who needed emotional health assistance and those in relationship dispute.

"We saw an increase in (calls by) women, sometimes men who are in dead-end of their relationship during pandemic where they are locked up in the same space trying to figure out what to do.

"So, the majority of calls we receive are still on domestic violence, sexual harassment in work and rape," she said.

Charlene also stated that WAO had a fair amount of people who have been requesting affordable emotional and mental health services since most of them were in toxic marriages.

"Sad truth is where some B40 women who are separated from their husband due to domestic violence or any sort of violence are not legally divorced because they cannot afford to start the proceeding," she said.

However, Charlene stressed that WAO provided a resource list for anyone who called them regarding the nearest mental health provider, how to get through toxic marriage, and the cost and process of a divorce.

Charlene said this when she shared her opinion and experience on handling abuse and divorced victims on Sinar Daily's Relatable talkshow, entitled "Young and Divorced" at Dome, Bangsar Shopping Center, here, today.

Also the panellists for today’s show were women empowerment, family development and parenting educator Datuk Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj and entrepreneur Chiq Ruslan.