Police given more authority to end domestic violence

Police will soon be authorized to enter all sites of domestic violence under a toughened law that aims to ensure the victim's safety and identify the extent of harm done, the family ministry said Friday.

The revised law, which takes effect next Wednesday, allows police to enter the reported site of domestic violence even without the perpetrator's consent, and check on the victim's condition before taking emergency measures to end the strife, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said in a press release.

Until now, police were barred from breaking in, sometimes leading to an escalation of violence between family members, it added.

The emergency measures taken by the police include removing the perpetrator from the site and keeping the assailant at least 100 meters away from the victim.

The stronger police intervention is expected to "significantly contribute to securing the victim's safety and protecting the victim in the initial stages" of violence, the ministry said.

The legal revision came amid widespread perceptions that domestic violence is taken too lightly and lacks proper legal grounds for police intervention, it added.

Citing a 2010 survey on domestic violence, the ministry said 51.1 percent believed the issue was a family affair, with 62.7 percent choosing not to seek outside help. The survey also showed domestic violence lasted for an average of 11 years and two months, with 48.2 percent of victims enduring it for a decade or more. (Yonhap)