97 out of 100 Dating Violence Perpetrators Investigated Without Detention
Light Punishments Spark Public Anger
Experts Call for Stronger Sanctions Against Assault
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] "If it had been a complete stranger, I might have been able to shake it off as a terrible nightmare, but the perpetrator was my boyfriend with whom I dreamed of a rosy future."
The JTBC drama 'Law School,' which ended successfully last June, sharply depicts the reality faced by Jeon Ye-seul (played by Go Yoon-jung), who suffered dating violence from her boyfriend and revealed herself as a victim. Standing in court, she testifies about her past inability to disclose the abuse, exposing not only physical violence but also emotional abuse, and how she overcame her wounds.
Dating violence within romantic relationships has become a significant issue in our society. Dating violence is dangerous because it can start from mild emotional abuse such as controlling behavior between partners and escalate at any time to serious crimes like murder, rape, and habitual assault. Therefore, experts advise paying close attention when early signs of dating violence, such as gaslighting and verbal abuse, appear.
However, there have been recent criticisms that the punishment for dating violence is too lenient compared to its severity and brutality. This comes after a man in his 30s, Mr. A, who brutally assaulted his girlfriend leading to her death, was prosecuted for injury resulting in death rather than murder.
On the 6th, the perpetrator Mr. A was indicted for violently assaulting his girlfriend, the victim, on July 25th at an officetel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, causing her death by repeatedly hitting her head and body. Investigations revealed that Mr. A committed the violence because the victim had informed people around her about their romantic relationship.
Following the indictment announcement, the victim’s legal representative released a statement that afternoon saying, "The victim’s parents and bereaved family, who lost their only precious daughter whom they cherished all their lives, are spending agonizing days in deep despair with tears and sighs, unable to eat or sleep," and appealed, "The perpetrator must be punished for murder."
CCTV footage capturing the incident on July 25 in an officetel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, where Mr. A assaulted his partner, resulting in their death. / Photo by SBS Broadcast Screen Capture
In response, citizens are outraged at the lenient punishments for dating violence. Park, a 20-something office worker, said, "When I read articles about dating violence cases, people still comment things like 'the victim must have made the perpetrator angry' or 'they probably deserved it.' It should be called assault or murder, not dating violence. Punishments need to be strengthened to instill the awareness that violence must never be committed under any circumstances."
In fact, the number of reported dating violence cases has more than doubled in the past five years, but the number of arrests has actually halved. According to data received by Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Ho-seon from the National Police Agency on the 24th of last month, the number of dating violence reports last year was 18,945, more than twice the 9,364 cases reported in 2016.
On the other hand, the number of arrests increased from 8,367 in 2016 to 10,303 in 2017 but then gradually decreased to 10,245 in 2018, 9,858 in 2019, and 8,982 in 2020. Particularly, the number of detentions dropped by 46.3%, from 449 in 2016 to 241 last year, and the detention rate for dating violence investigations last year was only 2.68%. This means that 97 out of 100 perpetrators were investigated without detention.
Experts point out that our society still tends to view dating violence as mere quarrels between lovers. Professor Choi Jong-sul of Dong-Eui University’s Department of Police Administration said, "Quarrels and assaults between lovers must be strictly distinguished. Assault is clearly subject to punishment and should be sanctioned," and suggested, "If current laws make punishment difficult, new legislation or amendments should be enacted to establish stronger punitive measures."
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