The community should stand united on a "zero tolerance" policy on domestic violence and help combat the problem, the Women's Commission urges.

Commission chairman Sophie Leung said domestic violence is on the rise and more than 80% of the victims are women.

It is a violation of human rights and inflicts great harm and far-reaching impacts on the victims, their children and the community at large, she said, adding "it is a problem that must not be tolerated and should be dealt with head-on".

Domestic violence is not only a matter for families, but a social problem cutting across different community sectors.

A multi-pronged approach underpinned by preventive measures, crisis intervention and support services and public education should be taken to tackle the problem, and cross-sectoral collaboration should be encouraged to prevent it.

The commission reviewed the policies, services and legislation relating to the issue and made recommendations to the Government last year.

Victim safety first

A dedicated working group was set up under the commission to deliberate and exchange views on the issue with different stakeholder groups including government departments, women's groups, service organisations, academia and experts.

Sharing sessions have been held with the Police and both sides agreed on the zero-tolerance stance and that victim's safety should be prioritised.