Domestic violence law to protect women, families

At the session, many delegates agreed that the new law would strengthen the rights of citizens and narrow gender discrimination, inherited from the feudal and patriarchal systems that existed in the past.

They said the law would increase individual awareness and responsibility in families, and respect for family members by ensuring codes of conduct to be followed in daily life.

Analysing the data for 2004, delegates pointed out that 42 per cent of the total number of divorce cases resulted from domestic violence, with alcohol and drug abuse, betting and extramarital affairs accounting for a majority of cases.

Most delegates agreed o­n clauses in the draft prohibiting physical and mental violence, intentional defamation, isolation, early marriages, sexual abuse, and the destruction or confiscation of commonly held family property.

Sexual abuse was widely debated since the issue had long been a taboo and a sensitive topic in Vietnamese family and society.

The delegates argued o­n how to define and determine action against sexual abuse as it belonged to personal or private lives.

While agreeing that women were victims in most cases of sexual abuse, some delegates raised concerns o­n the clause prohibiting sexual abuse as it was difficult to be enforced.

Though many women delegates called for defining types of sexual abuse to overcome the problem, they found it hard to define such actions and set sanctions for them.

Meanwhile, the law has found public support, with many agreeing that it would protect children, women and the aged - the most vulnerable section of society prone to domestic violence from abuse.

People in the central Thanh Hoa Province said the new law would provide a solid legal basis for related agencies and social organisations such as Women’s Unions and schools to prevent domestic violence.

Hoang Thanh Nhuan, a teacher from a local nursery school in the Quang Xuong District of the province, said that children were at times treated badly by parents when family conflicts occur.

She said the law would help schools and teachers in preventing such abuse which affects a child’s physical and spiritual development.

Delegates also discussed drafts and reports o­n the Law o­n Viet Nam’s Sea, the Law o­n Preventing Infectious Diseases, the Law o­n Quality of Goods and Commodities, the Law o­n Legal Assistance and the Law o­n Personal Income Tax.

All the laws debated at the session are to be approved by the end of this month.