Percentage of Requests for Personal Protection Orders Made by Foreign Spouses against Their Husbands in Past Three Years

32 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) of all requests for Personal Protection Orders in each year for the past three years, how many and what percentage have been made by foreign spouses against their husbands; and (b) how many and what percentage of such requests by foreign spouses have been approved.

Mr Desmond Lee: Persons who seek legal protection from family violence may apply at the Family Justice Courts (FJC), for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) under the Women's Charter.

Based on the most recent complete dataset, FJC received 2,811 PPO applications in 2016, of which 203 applications (7%) were filed by foreign wives against their husbands. One hundred and one orders (50%) were issued, while the remaining applications filed by foreign wives in 2016 were mainly withdrawn, dismissed or struck out.