BANGKOK, Nov 19 (TNA) - Domestic violence is continuing to pose a huge threat for Thai women, with victims failing to receive the support they need, according to the Foundation for Women (FFW).

The FFW's Director, Ms. Usa Srisanthat, said that from January to October this year, the foundation had given telephone advice to 285 women, of whom 93 were victims of domestic violence, 67 victims of human trafficking, 60 had unwanted pregnancies, and 17 suffered from sexual violence.

Noting that domestic violence in various forms appeared to be on the rise, she said that battered women were not receiving the urgent assistance they needed, particularly when it came to the provision of refuges.

Of the 67 victims of human trafficking helped by the foundation this year, 49 were foreign women and children.

The remaining Thai victims were women and children who had been tricked into working abroad, including South Africa, the Netherlands, Bahrain, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

FFW official Jiraporn Euafua said that these women were forced into massive debts, had their passports seized and were threatened into prostitution.

In some countries, moreover, they had little legal protection, and were treated as common criminals.

Of the foreign victims, 34 were under the age of 18, and the majority came from Laos.

Tricked by agents, they were forced into semi-slavery in Thailand.

Today the FFW laid out a six-point agenda for the government to address issues relating to violence towards women.

They include procuring sufficient resources, allowing victims of violence access to judicial procedures, using appropriate measures to eliminate human trafficking, funding rehabilitation programmes for human trafficking victims, recognising the importance of women and children in armed disputes, and boosting the role of women in decision makings on issues involving disputes and violence. (TNA)--E006

I doubt domestic violence is rising, I suspect, rather, that reporting of domestic violence has risen. As more and more women find themselves without family support (ie by living away from the family) they must turn to outside agencies for help. And without help from either the police or govt then agencies such as FFW can do little but provide safe houses (do such a thing exist in Thailand?).

Upcountry the police do nothing, unless the wife is killed they just show up

and asked what happened, have a laugh and leave

Thai women are just as capable of violence as the men, as most people who have been here any length of time will know. I always thought the female of the species was deadlier than the male