Following extensive consultations among the
partners, it was decided to incorporate a new
chapter on domestic violence to the third “Rights”
Side of Life survey with the aim of understanding
the levels of knowledge, perception and
prevalence of domestic violence in the Maldives.
Law Number 3/2012 (The Domestic Violence
Prevention Act) explicitly prohibits domestic
violence, including physical, sexual, verbal,
psychological and financial abuse. At the end
of 2019, a total 541 cases of domestic violence
were reported to the FPA, of which 376 were
allegations of physical abuse, 416 were verbal
and psychological abuse, and 114 were sexual
abuse cases.12
Coercing, intimidating or forcing the 0.84%
victim to commit an act which such
person would not have consented to
or committed by their own volition
0.57%
0.65%
Confining the victim to a place or
restricting their movement against
their will
1.35%
0.76%
0.94%
Attempting to commit any of
the foregoing acts or causing
apprehension of such acts
0.34%
0.23%
0.26%
Causing a minor to witness or hear an 0.42%
act of domestic violence or presenting
or placing a minor in such situation
where such minor may witness or
hear an act of domestic violence
0.50%
0.47%
Other
0.69%
0.73%
0.84%
RF
0.00%
0.08%
0.05%
DK/NA
6.24%
3.17%
4.10%
LEVEL OF AWARENESS
No significant differences were observed in
identifying forms of domestic violence between
outer islands and urban respondents.
Acts of Domestic Violence
Domestic Relationships
When asked to identify five acts of domestic
violence, 21.2% respondents identified physical
abuse. Exactly half the respondents went on to say
that sexual abuse in a domestic relationship is an
offence. 11.9% said verbal abuse, making threats
for the purpose of intimidation and harassment
are acts of domestic violence. Women were
generally more confident in identifying the forms
of domestic violence.
For people to be able to identify acts of domestic
violence and subsequently report or seek help,
it is imperative that they can fully comprehend
what constitutes a domestic relationship.
Table 44: Forms of Domestic Violence identified by the respondents, by
gender
Physical abuse
Male
Female
Total
22.01%
20.83%
21.17%
Sexual abuse
13.24%
14.99%
14.44%
Verbal abuse / psychological abuse
10.79%
12.44%
11.93%
Economic / Financial abuse
7.50%
8.39%
8.12%
Impregnating the spouse, without 2.28%
concern to her health condition and
against any medical advice to refrain
from impregnation for a specified
period of time
3.62%
3.21%
Impregnating a woman, who is trying 2.70%
to remove herself from a harmful
marriage, against her will
2.06%
2.27%
Deliberately withholding the property 1.69%
of a person
1.49%
1.57%
Intimidation
11.90%
11.78%
11.47%
Harassment
13.07%
12.06%
12.38%
Stalking
1.77%
2.82%
2.53%
Damage to property
2.70%
2.56%
2.58%
Entry into, and being present 0.34%
thereafter at the victim’s residence
without consent, where the parties do
not share the same residence
0.38%
0.37%
Any other act which may be described 0.42%
as controlling or abusive behaviour
towards the victim
0.46%
0.44%
12 http://www.fpa.gov.mv/w/dh/statistics
38
When the respondents of the survey were asked
to identify what domestic relationships are,
20.4% said it was parents or persons who have
or had parental responsibility for a child, 20.3%
understood it as the relationship between people
who are or were married to each other, 15.1%
believed it is one that exists between persons who
are family members related by consanguinity,
affinity or marriage and 14.1% thought persons
who recently shared the same residence were in
a domestic relationship.
One third of the respondents believed that
the relationship between family members is a
domestic relationship. 94.1% of respondents
do not believe that two people in an intimate
relationship are in a domestic relationship, which
may thus have serious implications on reporting
and seeking help, protection and justice. One
third of the respondents could not name any
form of domestic relationship.