Women and Physical Safety:

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Q:	Are perpetrators psychologically sick?
A:	According to the 1996 statistics of Northern Women's Center of the Bureau of Social Affairs of Taipei City Government, only 8.8% of perpetrators are mentally ill. In general, perpetrators have problems in personality, which include male-chauvinism, lower-endurance to failure, incapability of emotion management, strong sense of possession to their partners, lower self-esteem, bad habits such as alcohol or drug abuse, etc. As the statistics of Northern Women's Center shows, 52.5% of perpetrators are alcoholics, 37.3% are gamblers, 7.8% are drug users, 10.3% have criminal records, and 21.1% have an affair outside of their marriage.
Q:	Are lower-education, lower-income, and lower social class the major causes of high ratio domestic violence?
A:	As a matter of fact, marital violence occurs across all socio-economic groups and class. The perpetrators include those high-educated, high-income people with professional skills. Statistics compiled by the Northern Women's Center shows that 22.5% perpetrators graduated from junior high school, 29.9% have senior high school degree, 20.1% have bachelor degree, and 2% are of master or higher degree.
Q:	Are battered women masochistic and probably enjoy the abuse that they do not want to leave their partners?
A:	This is a misconception about abused women. The reasons that abused women do not leave their abusive partners are complicated, which include: Financial Independence Problem Staying because of the Children Lack of Courage and Self-esteem to Face the Society because of long-term abuse Feeling shame to divorce: fear of the judge of social evaluations Lack of Social Support Fear of Reprisals It is not true that the battered women can always leave while their self-esteem have been eroded by the abusive behavior of their partners that they no longer have confidence in their own abilities. Loosing the ability of self-confidence, the abused women are afraid of getting out of the abusive situation that they are treated as masochistic. To help the abused women getting out of the abusive situation, only strong social support will do.
Q:	Is it that the abused women must have done something to deserve a beating, such as being irresponsible wives, or being more capable than their husbands?
A:	Everyone has the right to live without the fear of violence. To say that abused women must have done something to deserve a beating, or to accuse that abused women are too capable are making excuses for perpetrators. Furthermore, these excuses are made simply out of the traditional stereotype about the inequality between men and women.
Q:	What to do when I am beated?
A:	When you are beated, stay calm and do not say anything to provoke more violence from the perpetrator. What you should do are: Protect Yourselve: Especially your head, face, neck, and waist. Do not be afraid of calling out for help to your family and neighbors. Escape from the scene and seek help from neighbors, relatives, friends, or local domestic violence agency. Seek help from the Police.
Q:	What can I do when the Police refuse to help me because they take it as a family's business?
A:	You should insist the Police to file your case and allow you to stay in the Police Station to protect your safety so that you can contact appropriate person for assistance. If, for any reason, the Police refuse to provide any assistance, do remember the Police's name, badge number, the time you report your case, and then call the Police Affairs Service Call: 080032888 to complain. If the Police has filed your case, read the record carefully to protect your right.
Q:	How should an abused women protect herself from violence?
A:	According to experts, there is great possibility for violent husbands to beat their wives again and again. The more they abuse their wives, the more serious the hurt they cause. If an abused woman is unable to leave the abusive situation, she has to at least do some preparation: Prepare a small bag with cash, ID, signid, house contract, marriage certificate, health inssurance card, address book, and other important documents inside, so that, whenever the woman is assaulted she can carry the bag with her and leave to seek help. Go to the doctor for treatment and ask for a written approval for evidence of physical assault. With this written approval, the assaulted woman can initiate legal action against her husband. If the assaulted woman is a citizen of Taipei city, she will get such help from every city owned hospital for free. Report your case and seek help from the Police. Ask the Police to file your case and record how you were assaulted. Keep relevant evidence such as the hospital approval of physical assault, Police record, clothe, and weapon used in violence. Consult relevant institutions or agencies to know what you should do next and to get assistance from them.
Q:	How to report a domestic violence case to the Police?
A:	Report the case directly to your local Police Station. The Police will record and file the case you report and send it to the court for trial.
Q:	How does a victim of marital violence appeal divorce to the court, especially when the abusive husband disagrees to divorce?
A:	According to the Civil Code, Principle 1052, Item 3: Once a husband or wife cannot live in the abusive situation caused by their spouse, he or she can take out charge against the other and ask for divorce to the court.
Q:	What services do Social Welfare Organizations offer to abused women?
A:	Social Welfare Organizations provide services to abused women according to their need, which include: legal advice, financial support, shelter, medical care, and job information.