FINANCIAL RELIEF UNDER THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 1994 IN MALAYSIA: WHAT MALAYSIA CAN LEARN FROM OTHER JURISDICTION IN AFRICA

Abstract

Domestic Violence which is an abuse that occur in a home often confines women in their horrible lives because they have nowhere to go or have no means of sustaining themselves. Domestic violence may also produce financial hardship for the victims wherein it contributes to economic stress and hardship. In Malaysia, the Domestic Violence Act 1994 (Act No. 521) was passed in early 1994 by the Malaysian Parliament to curb violence within a home and to provide protection from the abuser. This article, adopting a doctrinal and content analysis methodology, will critically analyze the statutory provisions that governing financial or monetary relief to victims of domestic violence in Malaysia and benchmark the practice with other jurisdiction especially in progressive African countries where such remedy has been introduced to assist the victims of domestic violence. This study hopes to significantly contribute in improving the current legislative framework governing financial or monetary relief to the victims of domestic violence in Malaysia.