3-year-old becomes latest victim of domestic violence

A 3-year-old girl has become the latest victim in a string of domestic violence cases registered at local hospitals.
The latest incident involved Miral, who was admitted to Bisha Hospital for burns to her feet and injuries to her body. She was allegedly tortured by her father, according to local authorities.
The father reportedly wanted to exact revenge against his former wife. He also changed his daughter’s name to Haya.
According to the girl’s maternal uncle, “King Abdullah Hospital in Bisha admitted the girl, who was in severe shock, and pressed charges with the authorities.”
The governor of Asir gave instructions to closely follow up on Miral’s case.
The growing rate of domestic violence has caused a stir in the Kingdom and is a hot topic on social media sites.
Saud Al-Shammari, a member of the Social Affairs Committee at the Shoura Council, said that regulations that can effectively deter abusers lack a tough stance due to loose wording.
“I believe that the minimum penalty should be one year in prison, not just one month. In addition, the text on many provisions is ambiguous and can take on many interpretations. We simply do not know which government agency has jurisdiction over which cases,” he said.
Fahd Al-Bakran, the Ministry of Justice’s spokesman, revealed that courts throughout the Kingdom have registered and investigated 108 domestic violence cases, including instances of physical and verbal abuse, rape and house-confinement. 
The spokesman made the statement following the conclusion of the first forum on Saudi Protection Against Abuse, which was organized by the Prince Sultan Medical Military City. 
Citing a recent report released by the ministry, Al-Bakran indicated that Jeddah and Makkah topped the number of domestic violence cases. Makkah recorded 13 cases, among which 10 cases of rape and physical assault, and 14 cases were filed in Jeddah involving similar incidents.
Dammam ranked third in the report, with 11 cases, Samtah Governorate fourth with seven cases and Abqiq fifth, with five cases. 
Riyadh recorded the least number of cases.