There has been a seven per cent drop in cases of domestic violence last year (2023), decreasing from 3,017 in 2022 to 2,807 in 2023.
These statistics were revealed by Assistant Attorney General Wael Buallay during an annual prosecution Press conference held at the Public Prosecution’s headquarters in Manama yesterday.
He also disclosed number of people receiving social care, children benefiting from restorative justice laws and convicts serving alternate penalties.
“A total of 123 individuals are currently receiving assistance under Reaya, a social care initiative launched by the Public Prosecution,” said Mr Buallay.
The initiative, started in 2021 with a focus on helping abused women and children to recover from trauma, provides everything from psychiatric care to financial assistance.
“Of the 123 persons, 75 are children, 12 are women, four are men and 16 are inmates. Moreover, five families with 16 members are also receiving these services.
“Services include social care (77 beneficiaries), physical and mental health services (29), financial aid (4), educational aid (19) and legal aid (5).”
Beneficiaries aged between seven and 18 years totalled at 87, while those aged between 19 and 40 years were 23, and those aged 41 and older were 13. Nine individuals were served by the Victims and Witnesses Protection Office.
Domestic violence cases showed a drop
Attorney General Dr Ali Al Buainain highlighted new guidelines instituted by the prosecution to avoid repeatedly questioning a young sexual assault victim.
The ‘Hearing Child’s Statement Just Once in Crimes of Sexual Assault’ guidelines were launched last November.
“Our goal is to spare the child the ordeal of recounting the crime multiple times,” he said.
“Because of the sensitive nature of children in this age group, we aim to sum up the questioning procedures in sexual crimes only once.”
The prosecution went on to give more details about child defendants and child victims as defined by the Restorative Justice Law for Children and their Protection from Maltreatment.
Suspects in crimes, aged between eight and 18 years, totalled 927 boys and 195 girls, while victims up to 18 years of age totalled 927 boys and 451 girls.
Of the defendants, many benefited from restorative justice provisions, including 150 receiving non-custodial alternative penalties – 127 boys and 23 girls.
“Alternative penalties work in Bahrain because the recidivism rate (retuning to crime) is only three per cent,” said Mr Buallay.
“The people who receive those penalties are often the breadwinners in the families, so it hurts the family as a whole to put them behind bars.
“We assign them penalties which will discourage them form repeating the crime.
“For example, a person convicted of a traffic-related crime could be assigned to the Accidents and Emergencies Department in the Salmaniya Medical Complex, so they can see first-hand the results of actions they committed.
“We also capitalise on their strengths and skills, so a defendant who speaks good English can be assigned to a spot where English-speaking know-how is required.”
The prosecution revealed that 1,575 defendants received non-custodial services, including 1,455 men, 55 women and 65 young people aged from 16 to 21.
A total of 889 participated in community service, 585 attended rehabilitation and training workshops and 89 were ordered to repair the damage they caused by committing the crime.
Meanwhile, 137 received restraining orders, 501 were banned from specific locations, 101 were placed under house arrest and 331 were to be monitored through an electronic bracelet.
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