This post was originally published as a press release on 25 June 2020.

25 June 2020 – Gender-equality group AWARE received a total of 752 calls (including messages, online chats, emails and referrals) to its Helplines in May 2020.

This set a new all-time call record for the organisation, which has been supporting women in distress via a Helpline since 1991. It broke the previous record set in March 2020 of 641 calls.* (April 2020 saw a total of 596 calls.)

Calls pertaining primarily to family violence continued to be unusually high. In May 2020, AWARE received 180 calls pertaining to family violence, a 137% increase (adjusted) over family violence calls in May 2019.**

Family violence is defined by AWARE as violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that occurs in current or former family, domestic or intimate relationships. It encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, economic control, social isolation and any other behaviour that may cause a person to live in fear.

Calls pertaining primarily to emotional and psychological distress were also high, with 150 such calls received in May 2020. This represents a 436% increase (adjusted) of such calls over May 2019.

“These statistics are worrying, but not surprising,” said AWARE Executive Director Corinna Lim. “They confirm our fears—based on international observations of this crisis and previous ones—that social-distancing measures designed to curb a virus ironically enclose many women in potentially life-threatening circumstances. Even if women are not experiencing violence, they are seriously struggling to cope with the strain of surviving the pandemic. Families are living under great stress and require more support during this time.

“As Singapore eases out of the circuit breaker, we brace ourselves for possibly even more calls, as isolated women are granted more opportunities to leave their homes and seek help.”

AWARE has taken steps to expand its service capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak. These include growing staff strength, expanding the number of phone lines at the Women’s Helpline and launching a new online chat service, whereby women who are unable to speak on the phone can receive support and information from the Helpline team. The service received 43 chat appointments in May after launching on 8 May, and completed 26. Of these 26 successful chats, 18 pertained to family violence.

* Earlier, AWARE released a preliminary call total for March 2020 (619). Updated information from AWARE’s Helpline puts the total March 2020 calls at 641.

** The adjusted figure takes into account AWARE’s expansion of Helpline services in May 2020. This makes the data from 2019 and 2020 comparable, and more accurately reflects the increase in occurrence of violence and distress in 2020.

ANNEX

Selected May 2020 Helpline Calls

Farah* and her husband have been married for decades. Her husband belittles her frequently. He is financially abusive: He doesn’t give her any money, and has cancelled all her cards. He has also refused to let Farah work. As a result, Farah is totally dependent on her children for money, which makes her anxious and unhappy. She is looking for legal advice about her financial rights and divorce.

Mei* contacted AWARE for information about applying for a Personal Protection Order against her father, whom she lives with, and who has been physically abusive since her childhood. During a recent disagreement, he smashed an object against her head. Mei receives no emotional support from friends or other members of the family

Vani* was assaulted by her brother, whom she lives with, during a recent conversation. She had to seek medical help for the injuries she suffered. Although the assault was reported to the police, her mother convinced her not to pursue the case further in any official capacity. Vani is considering moving to a relative’s house to escape her brother’s abuse.

*Names changed to protect callers’ identities