COOPERATION WITH OTHER AUTHORITIES:ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPERTS TO PROTECT AND SUPPORTVICTIMS OF CRIM E IN HONG KONG
Betty PANG Mo-yin

I. INTRODUCTION TO HONG KONG
A. Geographical Location
Hong Kong is located in Eastern Asia,the southeast coast of the Peopleʼ
s Republic of China,facing
the South China Sea. Geographically,it consists of three main territories namely,Hong Kong Island,
Kowloon and the New Territories.
B. Size and Population
The area of Hong Kong is 1,104 sq km. The population at the end of 2012 was 7,173,000.
C. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
The Chief Executive (CE)is the head of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The main administrative and executive functions of the Hong Kong Government are carried out by
three secretary departments, 12 policy bureaux (consisting of 61 departments and agencies)and otherservices.
(a)Secretaries of Departments
Chief Secretary for Administration
Financial Secretary
Secretary for Justice(b)Directors of Bureaux
Secretary for Transport and Housing
Secretary for Home Affairs
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Secretary for Financial Services and Treasury
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Secretary for Security
Secretary for Education
Secretary for Civil Service
Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for the Environment
Secretary for Development(c)Other Services
Commissioner of Police
Commissioner of Independent Commission Against Corruption
Commissioner of Customs and Excise
Director of Immigration
Director of Audit
The civil service employed approximately156,000 people,or about 4% ofthe Hong Kong workforce.
Apart from administering public services, its main tasks are to assist the Chief Executive and princiSenior Superintendent of Police, Hong Kong Police Force.

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pals in formulating policies and carrying out decisions.
D. Special Features
Hong Kongʼs free economic system and low tax rate have created a favourable environment for thecityʼ
s development in finance, banking, trade, industry and commerce, real estate, shipping and civil
aviation.
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. The land population density
in mid-2012 stood at 6,620 persons per sq km.
E. Visitors
In the year 2012,Hong Kong registered a record of 48.62 million visitor arrivals. Mainland visitors
reached 34.91 million in 2012 and continued to be the largest source of visitors to Hong Kong.
F. Crimes
In 2012,a total of 75,930 crimes were reported. The overall crime rate was 1,064 per 100,000 persons.

II. HONG KONG POLICE FORCE
A. CommandThe Hong Kong Police Force (the Force)is headed by the Commissioner of Police who is responsible to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the administrationand operational efficiency of the Force. He is assisted by two Deputy Commissioners. The Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Operations) is responsible for operations, crime and security; whereas theDeputy Commissioner of Police (Management) is responsible for personnel, training, managementservices, finance, administration and planning.
At the end of 2012, the Force had 28,400 regular police officers, 4,700 civilian staff, and 4,500
auxiliary police officers. The police-population ratio in 2012 was 394 regular officers for every 100,000persons.
B. Vision and Responsibilities
The Forceʼs vision is that ʻ
Hong Kong remains one of the safest and most stable societies in theworldʼ. The primary responsibilities of the Force are:(a)M aintenance of law and order in the community;(b)Prevention and detection of crime;(c)Road safety;and(d)Operations.
C. Crime Rate and Detection Rate
In 2012, 75,930 crimes were reported. 33,094 cases were detected;representing a detection rate of
43.6%, which was an increase of 1.1% when compared with 42.5% in 2011.
M aintaining a low crime rate and high detection rate can be regarded as one of the indicators of theForceʼs performance;but providing protection and support to victims of crime is equally important as
it can affect members of the publicʼs confidence in the Force.

III. COOPERATION WITH AUTHORITIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPERTS
IN THE PROTECTION AND SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF CRIME
Hong Kong accords high importance in providing protection and support to victims of crime witha view to achieving the dual purposes of preventing further crimes and prosecuting offenders. This
support and protection comes in many ways including legislation, administrative measures, multi-100

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VISITING EXPERTSʼPAPERSagency approach, protection and support provided by the Force, other government departments andnon-governmental organizations. This paper talks about cooperation with authorities, organizations
and experts in the protection and support of victims of crime.
A. Working Groups and Committees
Apart from prevention and detection ofcrime,the Force attaches great importance to the protection
and support of victims of crime. The Force has been maintaining partnership with different authorities, organizations and experts to protect the best interest of victims. The following three working
groups and committees are typical illustrations of such multi-agency and cross-sectoral cooperation.
1. Committee on Child Abuse (CCA)The Director of Social Welfare is the Chairperson of the Committee on Child Abuse (CCA). The
CCA comprises 13 representatives from different government departments and non-governmentalorganizations including staff/professionals from the Labour and Welfare Bureau, Department ofHealth,Home Affairs Department,Hong Kong Police Force,Hospital Authority,Information ServicesDepartment, Social Welfare Department, Against Child Abuse, End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation,
Hong Kong Council of Social Service,Hong Kong Family Welfare Society and Hong Kong Psychological Society.
The CCA is responsible for monitoring the overall situation of child abuse in Hong Kong. Its termsof reference are:(a)To examine the child abuse problem in Hong Kong in view of current social circumstances;(b)To map out strategies to address the problem of child abuse including prevention, publiceducation and community participation;(c)To examine ways to facilitate multi-disciplinary collaboration;(d)To formulate new approaches for the handling of child abuse cases;(e)To facilitate and coordinate research studies on child abuse and related subjects;and(f) To monitor the implementation of recommendations.
2. Working Group on Combating Violence (WGCV)The Director of Social Welfare is the Chairperson of Working Group on Combating Violence(WGCV). The WGCV comprises 20 representatives from different government departments andnon-government organizations including staff/professionals from the Labour and Welfare Bureau,
Security Bureau, Department of Justice, Legal Aid Department, Department of Health, Hospital
Authority, Education Bureau, Home Affairs Department, Hong Kong Police Force, Housing Department, Information Services Department, Social Welfare Department, Association Concerning SexualViolence Against Women, Caritas ― Hong Kong, Christian Family Service Centre, Harmony House,Po Leung Kuk, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Hong Kong Association for the Survivors of Women
Abuse (Kwan Fook)and Hong Kong Council of Social Service.
The WGCV is responsible for monitoring the overall situation of spouse battering and sexual
violence in Hong Kong. Its terms of reference are:(a)To examine the problem of violence in Hong Kong, with main focus on spouse battering andsexual violence;(b)To map out strategies and approaches in handling the problem, including prevention, publiceducation, publicity and provision of services;(c)To examine the existing procedures and guidelines on handling the problem and recommend
improvement measures;

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RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No. 93(d)To strengthen coordination and cooperation among governmental departments, nongovernmental organizations and professionals in handling and combating the problem;(e)To coordinate statistics and facilitate research studies;and(f) To form task groups or sub-groups to examine specific issues where necessary.
3. Working Group on Elder Abuse (WGEA)
The Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Family and Child Welfare) is the Chairperson of theWorking Group on Elder Abuse (WGEA). The WGEA comprises 9 representatives from different
governmental departments and non-governmental organizations including staff/professionals from theElderly Commission, Labour and Welfare Bureau, Hong Kong Police Force, Department of Health,Social Welfare Department, Hospital Authority, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Tertiary
Institute and social service sector.
The WGEA is responsible for examining elder abuse issues and proposing strategies to address theproblem identified. Its terms of reference are:(a)To examine the issue of elder abuse in Hong Kong;(b)To propose strategies, practical measures and an action plan to combat the problem of elder
abuse;and(c)To draw up a framework to implement the action plan.
B. Procedural Guidelines
Working groups and committees provide a common platform for relevant stakeholders to deliberate
and formulate appropriate strategies/measures on victim protection and support. Procedural guidelines are then derived to guide relevant stakeholders in the implementation in order to maximize theeffectiveness of cooperation amongst them. The following are some examples:(a)Procedural Guide for Handling Child Abuse(b)Guide for Handling Intimate Partner Violence Cases(c)Procedural Guidelines for Handling Elder Abuse Case(d)Procedural Guidelines for Handling Adult Sexual Violence Cases
C. Central Information Systems
In order that working groups and committees can map out the profile and characteristics of, andprovide statistical data for reference to professionals providing services on the prevention and handlingof child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence and sexual violence, three sets of central information
systems were jointly developed by different authorities and organizations, for instance the Social
Welfare Department, Hong Kong Police Force, Hospital Authority, Department of Health, and othernon-governmental organizations. These central information systems are jointly maintained by relevant authorities and organizations. They contain comprehensive information on specific offences andhave been very useful in assisting the work of different working groups and committees.
D. M ulti-disciplinary Case Conference (MDCC)
M ulti-disciplinary Case Conference(MDCC)is an effective multi-disciplinary cooperation model forchild abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse cases. MDCC is most commonly used for child abusecases. It is a forum by which professionals having a major role in handling and investigation of thecase, for instance social welfare officers, the police, parents, guardians, carers, clinical psychologist,
and representatives from Education Department/schools, can share their professional knowledge,
information and concern on the victimʼ
s health, development,functioning,and his/her parents/guardians/carersʼability to ensure safety of the victim.

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Case officers may make reference to the following issues when considering the need for an M DCC:(a)The case involves at least three service units;(b)There are different views between service units and the victim regarding welfare plan;and(c)The case is complicated in nature, e.g. risk of homicide, propensity to violence, etc.
The focus of the MDCC is on protection and welfare of the victim rather than prosecution of theabuser. The M DCC analyzes risks and recommends actions to be taken in relation to the welfare
planning of the victim and his/her family, respecting the statutory obligations of individual membersof the case. In child abuse cases,family perspective is adopted in reviewing safety of all the children
and other members in the household even if concerns are only being expressed about one child.
E. Child Protection Special Investigation Team (CPSIT)
The Child Protection Special Investigation Team (CPSIT) is formed by specially trained police
officers and social workers to conduct joint investigation into cases of suspected child abuse. The
advantage of having a CPSIT is to combine specialist and complementary investigation skills of thePolice and Social Welfare Department in the collection of evidence, which will be admissible incriminal proceedings,prevent further trauma to the child by having to repeat details of the allegation
to different persons, and provide maximum protection and support to children who have been abusedor are at risk.
F. Guardianship Order
The Mental Health Ordinance,Cap. 136 Laws of Hong Kong empowers an independent Guardianship Board (the Board) to conduct hearings in order to make guardianship orders. Social workers,
medical officers and police officers will help persons in need of Guardianship Order if they meet thefollowing criteria.
(a)Adults 18 years old or over;and(b)M entally incapable of making decisions about their personal affairs,financial matters,medical
or dental treatment.
When the victims meet the above criteria, the police shall refer them to the Social Welfare
Department (SWD)for application of the Order. The Order specifies the appointment of a guardian,either private (a family member or friend) or public (Director of Social Welfare), and the powers
conferred to the guardian. In a normal situation, application for guardianship will be proceed only
where effective informal arrangements cannot be made.
Upon the receipt of an application,the Guardianship Board will arrange a date for hearing in which
Board members will examine all the information and evidence collected, interview the subject andrelevant witnesses to reach a decision. The following services may be provided:(a)Support, protect and advocate the best interest of mentally incapacitated adults;(b)Employ guardian to facilitate the management of their finances;(c)Ensure that their needs for service and medical treatment are met;(d)Protect them against abuse, exploitation and neglect;(e)Enhance the quality of care;and(f) Facilitate the resolution for disputes with relatives and services provider.

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G. M ulti-agency Referral M echanisms
In addition to performing the core duties of case investigation and prosecution, the Force also
provides protection and support to victims by utilizing its own resources and/or through close collaboration with other governmental departments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Timelyreferral mechanisms have been established between the Force and relevant stakeholders.
The officers-in-charge of the case shall carefully examine each case and make timely referrals. The
Social Welfare Department is one of the Forceʼs partners providing support services to victims. Acooperation protocol has been established to maximize effectiveness of the collaboration including
acknowledgement of receipt of the referral within seven working days and informing the Police within
one month whether the subject has accepted the service or not.
Specifically for victims of domestic violence,appropriate referrals to the Social Welfare Depatment
and non-governmental organizations will be made to provide victims with familysupport services. The
Social Welfare Department has set up a 24-hour Police Designated Hotline to facilitate police referrals
and arranging emergency services. Victims of domestic violence will also be referred to nongovernment organizations (NGOs) for temporary accommodation services and emotional supportservices.
For sexual violence cases, investigation officers would introduce the Social Welfare Departmentʼs
One-stop Service Model, and the CEASE Crisis Centre (CCC)of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (aNGO)to victims. If victims select to take up the services,the investigation officers would personallycall the 24-hour Police Designated Hotline to arrange designated social workers to provide immediate
assistance and crisis intervention for victims. Victims can also be referred to services provided byother non-governmental organizations (NGOs),for instance,theʻFamily Planning Association of Hong
Kongʼand ʻRainlilyʼthrough established referral mechanisms for appropriate protection and supportservices.
H. One-stop Service M odel
In pursuit of multi-agency and cross-sectoral approach, the Force commits to handle all sexual
abuse cases by providing victims with immediate support services through close collaboration withother departments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The One-stop Service Model forsexual abuse cases is adopted under the following principles:(a)Professional service should be made available and easilyaccessible to victims on a 24-hour basis;
and(b)The need for victims to undergo different procedures and to repeat incidents should be kept atminimum.
When the One-stop Service Model is introduced to sexual violence victims, police officers will
immediately contact the Social Welfare Department (SWD)or non-governmental organizations(NGOs)
for referral. SWD or NGOs provide the following 24-hour outreach services:(a)Arrangement of suitable venue, e.g. hospital for taking statements and conducting forensicexamination;(b)Aftercare medical services at family/gynaecology clinic, e.g.prevention of pregnancy or transmission of disease;(c)Emotional support or counselling service, psychological treatment and temporary accommodation;and(d)Victim will be accompanied throughout the process of investigation and court proceedings.
I. Refuge Centre
When victims or their family members are considered at risk of serious or repeated violence, the104

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Police will advise victims on the availability of refuge centre. The Police will take the following
actions if victims wish to accept the service:(a)Liaise with the refuge centres for the victims;(b)Provide transport to victims;(c)Keep the location of the refuge centre confidential.
J. Outreach Services
If a victim wishes to be accompanied by a support person whilst giving a statement to the Police,
relatives or friends are allowed as long as no hindrance to investigation is caused. If necessary, thePolice will contact non-governmental organizations(NGOs)for outreach services where social workers
will be arranged to accompany the victims or provide them with counselling service.
K. Overseas Special Assistance
If Hong Kong citizens become victims of crime overseas, particularly in major incidents with asignificant number of victims involved, a cross-departmental rescue team comprising staff of governmental departments and other organizations including members of the Force may be mobilized toattend to victims and their family members. Apart from victim identifications and immigration
matters,psychosocial support service from the Social Welfare Department will be provided to victims
and their family members. These services include:(a)Consultation on psychological support and critical incident stress management services;(b)Crisis intervention;(c)Financial assistance;(d)Operate hotline to assist victimʼ
s family members;and(e)Accompany family members to hold funerals for the deceased.
L. Art Therapy
Counselling services run by religious groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)and schools
are provided to children who witnessed domestic violence in their family. During the treatment, thechildren are invited to take part in painting classes. Professionals will assess the childrenʼs condition
through evaluation of their paintings. Advice will be given to parents or social workers so that adesirable counselling and support plan can be worked out.
M .Batterer Intervention Scheme
Special counselling service will be given to batterers through which the potential of repeatedviolence against their intimate partners may be reduced. The Batterer Intervention Scheme helps thebatterers control their use of physical violence and enhance batterersʼemotional control, non-violent
conflict resolution and marital relationship.
One of the programmes under the Batterer Intervention Scheme is a psycho-education programme
known as the Anti-violence Programme(AVP)provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs)in
conjunction with the Social Welfare Department. The District Court may order the batterer toparticipate in an AVP with a view to seeking a change of his/her attitude. Special counselling andsupport services will be given to batterers with follow-up services to help them re-integrate into theirfamilies and community.

IV. CONCLUSIONHong Kong is a caring society. It has long been recognized,both internationally and in Hong Kong,that close collaboration amongst stakeholders involved in handling victims, particularly those who105

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suffered from abusive offences,will maximize the effectiveness in the protection and support ofvictims
of crime, gain trust and cooperation from victims so that the investigation and prosecution could beconducted more effectively and efficiently.
As a result oflongstanding multi-agencyand cross-sectoral cooperation amongst different organizations and authorities in providing protection and support to victims of crime, different mechanisms/
measures have been in place to safeguard the interests of victims of crime. These mechanisms/
measures have been working smoothly and are subjected to regular reviews.

Important Notice
All rights, including copyright, in this document are owned and reserved by the Hong
Kong Police Force. Unless prior permission in writing is given by the Commissioner ofPolice, you may not use the materials other than for your personal learning and in thecourse of your official duty.

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