There were 14,382 victims of violence from last October to this September, 7,164 of them younger than 18, which is 40 per cent more than the previous year.

This means on average 39 women and children became victims of violence every day, Supan said.

Friday is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, aimed at ending a problem that affects nearly two million people worldwide each year and causes the deaths of 10 per cent of those aged between 15 and 44, he said.

In Thailand, efforts to deal with the problem include the ministry's 104 One Stop Crisis Centres (OSCC) nationwide and the 1669 help hotline, Supan said.

More than half of the incidents - 52 per cent  were of physical abuse, followed by sexual assaults at 43 per cent, Supan said. Boyfriends or friends made up more than a third of the attackers, followed by husbands at 24 per cent and relatives at 15 per cent, he added.

About 28 per cent of the violence was under the influence alcohol, while 24 per cent was caused by jealousy, Supan said.

Of the total victims, 8,797 had to undergo mental rehabilitation.

Supan said the ministry this year expanded the OSCC to five more hospitals in Central Thailand and would next year produce a programme and database for abuse victims.

Meanwhile, Deputy Bangkok Governor Puttipong Punnakan yesterday launched a "community power to stop violence" campaign in the capital.

He said the city had set aside Bt50 million for activities to end violence against women and children by changing men's thinking and strengthening community ties.

Another speaker, Thai Health Promotion Foundation vice chairman Prof Udomsil Srisangnam, cited a World Health Organisation report that 70 per cent of women worldwide were victims of violence, mostly triggered by alcohol.

He said domestic violence and child sexual abuse had become common in Thailand, and the culprits lived under the same roof as the victims in 80 per cent of the cases.

by Duangkamol Sajirawatthanakul

Jirawan Prasomsap

The Nation