HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-8 March 1989
香港立法局 一九八九年三月八日
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circumstances which have preceded it, the background of the intimidator (if this is known), and the vulnerability of the victim. Clearly a family quarrel, a business dispute, and a case perhaps involving triad involvement would be considered in a different light. However, as I have said, police protection will always be offered if the safety of the person reporting the crime appears to be at risk.
MR. MARTIN LEE: Sir, will the Administration consider automatically offering police protection to all witnesses in intimidation cases rather than wait until they are interfered with?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, as I have said, I think that this has to be left to the police to assess. The offer of protection will depend upon the circumstances of each case and the vulnerability of the witnesses to intimidation.
MR. HUI: Sir, since the Secretary does not have relevant information available on my question, could I be provided with a written answer?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Yes, Sir, certainly. (Annex I)
MRS. CHOW: Sir, does the Secretary not think that it is unsatisfactory that no details of the number of cases of subsequent assaults on persons who have previously reported intimidation to the police are available, and that such data are quite essential for the police to devise ways and means to try to further prevent such cases from happening in the future? What would he propose to rectify the present lack of data and details?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, the police are aware of certain individual cases where assaults have taken place following a threat of intimidation. But they do not keep detailed statistics on every single case and these do not go back several years. As I have said, the police are satisfied, on the basis of the information which is available to them, that the number of such cases is very small and that their present system of protection is well tried and frequently used. I believe that where this has been put into effect, there has not been any instance of assault or retaliation against a victim or a member of his family.