The Ministry of Justice plans to appoint 150 judges to deal with domestic violence cases at courts across the Kingdom.

The ministry will embark on its first training program for 28 of the judges at the end of this month. The program includes providing them with provisions in Islamic law on domestic violence.

Nasser Al-Oud, adviser to the justice minister and general supervisor of the social services department, said there are 177 cases of domestic violence currently before Saudi courts involving women and children, including assault, rape, forced confinement, verbal abuse, neglect and denial of basic rights.

He said the training would allow judges to handle cases more effectively. Al-Oud said people are becoming aware of more of their rights and willing to take up these matters in a court of law.

In August last year, the government passed a law criminalizing domestic abuse. The law also provides treatment and shelter for victims of violence.

For the first time, public and private sector workers have been encouraged to report abuse to police and the Social Affairs Ministry.

The legislation now holds law enforcement agencies accountable for investigating and prosecuting cases. Previously, police treated violence against women and children as a private domestic matter with few legal consequences.

Abuse victims also will have access to psychological treatment, health care and shelter. In a 2009 study of women seeking services at primary health centers in Madinah, 25.7 percent of the 689 women surveyed said they were victims of physical abuse. Only 36.7 percent of the abused women notified their doctors.