DAMMAM: Users of social media have expressed their dissatisfaction with actions of some companies that have interfered in domestic violence cases. Specifically, they have shown distain for distributing gifts to child victims of abuse, which they described as negative, too simplistic and ultimately unwelcome as presenting abused children with gifts could encourage more parents to beat up their children in order to receive gifts from companies.

Mahdi Altaher, professor of assistive educational psychology and a former member of the teaching faculty in the Department of Education and Psychology at Dammam University, said that these practices are purely commercial and not educational, adding that these gifts are usually intended to ease the psychological effects on abused children, but actually only serve to raise a company's profile.

He told Al-Riyadh newspaper that what is required is for authorities to act so that the abuse is not repeated by ignorant parents, through the proper application of the law.

He also said that legal measures should be accompanied by lectures and seminars in mosques, on television and at schools to teach all society members about their roles in combatting abuse.

On another note regarding the topic of filming domestic violence cases, Hamoud Al-Khalidi, a legal adviser, said the existence of cameras in public places, commercial facilities or the home is a two-edged weapon. These cameras, despite often capturing crimes in action, invade the privacy of individuals and that those who shoot videos should be dealt with according to the law.

He said, however, that if the camera owner films an attack or violent assault and takes the footage to the relevant authorities, the footage could be used to guide investigating officers in the right direction, which saves time and effort in achieving justice, even if the actual footage cannot be used in a court of law.

Some might say this is a violation of the privacy of individuals, but Al-Khalidi said that it is permissible according to the legal regulatory channels as has been mentioned in Article 4 of the Protection from Harm Law.