- In an emergency, call 999.
- Under the Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance (Cap. 189), eligible persons can apply to the Court of First Instance of the High Court or to the District Court for an injunction.
- An injunction lasts for up to 24 months, and the court can extend it when it thinks fit.
- Harmony House runs a 24-hour hotline. Abused women can call 2522 0434 to reach the refuge directly.
Domestic violence can mean the repeated use of force or verbal attack in private, usually against a spouse or children. It takes many forms, including sexual assault, physical attacks of all kinds and intimidation.
Domestic violence in Hong Kong: definition, effects and getting help
There is currently no specific legal definition of domestic violence.
“Domestic violence” is a general term for a pattern of manipulative or controlling behaviour by one person towards another, where the two are or were in an intimate relationship or are family members.
These behaviours are usually a series of abusive incidents. Whether or not there is physical abuse, the effect on the victim builds up over time.
Domestic violence can happen across different backgrounds, family situations, sexual orientations, ages, disabilities or genders, but most abusers are men and most victims are women.
Abusers and victims of domestic violence can be of any gender. Whatever their gender or age, prosecutors should respond properly to the needs and requests of all victims of domestic violence.
Please note
- Although physical abuse has always been treated as a criminal offence, some people are ambivalent about domestic violence. They think it happens only inside the family and is therefore purely a private family matter.
- This view is completely wrong.
- In recent years, more and more people have come to see that domestic violence harms society and is linked to many crimes.
Effects of domestic violence in Hong Kong
Domestic violence occurs in almost every society and can be divided into:
- Psychological abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse
People abused at home over a long time suffer physical and mental trauma, especially women and children. Abusers must therefore be brought to justice, and prosecutors play an important role in that.
Domestic violence usually has these features:
- It is quite common
- It can be extremely violent
- It can cause lasting physical, emotional, psychological and financial harm to victims
- It often repeats until the cycle of abuse is broken
- Victims often have to depend on the abuser
- Punishing the abuser can also affect the victim
Violence that happens in private causes great harm not only to the victim and to family members or people close to them, but also serious effects of domestic violence on those who suffer, witness or learn of it, especially children.
Getting help with domestic violence
- If your spouse or partner threatens you or your child with domestic violence, you should call the police.
- In an emergency, call 999.
The police officers who handle these incidents have had specialist training in domestic violence, so you need not worry that they lack the knowledge or experience to deal with getting help for domestic violence.
- Under the police code of conduct, where circumstances allow, you should be interviewed by an officer of the same gender, and the police should interview you and the abuser separately to protect privacy and safety.
- If you want to bring a criminal case against the abuser, the police should not ask you questions in front of the abuser, or ask whether you are prepared to give evidence at a court hearing.
Please note
- If there is evidence that someone has broken the law, the abuser will be arrested whatever your wishes.
- The officer who arrests the abuser should explain the procedure to you, and give you the officer’s number and the name of the police station where the abuser will be taken.
- If there is not enough evidence to charge the abuser, the police must explain the situation and their reasons to you.
- The police should also give you information and hotline numbers for support services, covering both practical and emotional support.
Applying for an injunction
If the abuser does not pose an immediate danger to you, or you do not want him or her arrested, you can consider applying for an injunction.
Under the Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance (Cap. 189), eligible persons can apply to the Court of First Instance of the High Court or to the District Court for an injunction. The court may grant an injunction:
- Restraining the abuser from using violence against the applicant or a child living with the applicant; or
- Whoever owns the property, the court can bar the abuser from entering or staying in the matrimonial home or shared residence, or a specified part of it.
When an injunction carries a power of arrest, the police can arrest the abuser without a warrant if he or she abuses or threatens you again.
How long an injunction lasts
- An injunction lasts for up to 24 months.
- The court can extend it when it thinks fit.
Do you need to apply for an injunction?
Feel free to check your situation with us.
Applying for an injunction without notifying the abuser, and how to apply
The court can make an order before the abuser is notified. This means you can apply to the court for an injunction without telling the abuser first.
Please note
- A written copy of the injunction must be served on the abuser before it takes effect.
- So you must make sure you are safe before the injunction is served on the abuser.
How to apply for an injunction
You can get an injunction application form from a solicitor, the Legal Aid Department or the Family Court Registry.
Because applying for an injunction is a complex procedure, get help from a solicitor if you can. If you need financial help, the Legal Aid Department can support you.
| Legal Aid Department hotline | Family Court Registry | |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 2537 7677 | 2840 1218 |
| Fax | 2537 5948 | 2523 9170 |
- Legal Aid Department: website, e-mail: ladinfo@lad.gov.hk
- Family Court Registry address: M2, Wanchai Government Offices, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
- Family Court Registry: website, e-mail: familycourt@judiciary.hk
- Family Court Registry opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:45 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm (closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)
Harmony House refuge and hotline
Harmony House provides a refuge for abused women. It is a safe place for women facing immediate danger of violence.
Its main aims are to support abused women, take their safety concerns seriously and provide temporary accommodation.
- Temporary accommodation is generally for two weeks and can be extended to three months where there is special need.
- The service is for women who are in direct danger of violence and have serious personal or family problems, whether or not they have children.
The refuge provides individual and group counselling and other services residents need. It also encourages residents to support one another and build a sense of community.
Every resident has her own free time and private space.
To give abused women immediate help, the refuge runs a 24-hour hotline.
Harmony House
- Phone: 2522 0434 (24-hour hotline)
- For more details about Harmony House, visit its website.
Harmony House third-line service for men
Men who experience domestic violence can also call Harmony House (men’s hotline: 2295 1386).
- Phone: 2295 1386 (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, except public holidays)
- Fax: 2304 7783
- E-mail: hh3path@harmonyhousehk.org
- Website
Worried about your safety?
Get in touch, and a dedicated consultant will first understand your situation.
Support services for domestic violence and how to respond
Both government bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) give victims of domestic violence practical support (such as medical, financial or housing advice) and emotional support.
Some organisations serve everyone, and some serve only certain groups of people.
| Phone | |
|---|---|
| Social Welfare Department | 2343 2255 (general enquiries) |
| Family Crisis Support Centre | 18288 (24-hour hotline) |
| Wai On Centre | 2793 0223 |
| Yan Yin Home | 2890 8330 |
| Hiu Yin Kui | 2243 3210 |
| Les Corner | 5281 5201 (WhatsApp available) |
- Social Welfare Department: website
- Family Crisis Support Centre: website
- Les Corner: website, e-mail: lescorner2015@gmail.com
How to respond to domestic violence
Stay calm
- Calm yourself first. We suggest writing the situation down on paper. It eases the emotions, helps you assess things more rationally and sorts out the problems to solve.
- Once you list all the problems, they are sometimes easier to solve than you expected.
Be brave and cut your losses
- Some victims are not weak but hope to change their partner. They have put so much into the marriage and do not want to apply for divorce hastily.
- But if it is not the first time violence has happened and you do not know how long you can endure it, divorcing early and starting a new life may be better.
Seek professional help
- If you are threatened, or it is otherwise difficult for you, you can call the police for help at any time.
- For many problems, government bodies, the police or NGOs have protective measures in place.
- A way out may have existed all along, and the violence went on only because nobody asked or noticed.
Should you divorce early and start a new life?
If in doubt, feel free to contact our dedicated consultants.
