In Cambodia, a property tycoon beats his wife in a Facebook video – and she gets blamed
- Images of Duong Chhay assaulting his (now ex) wife, cosmetics entrepreneur Deth Malina, have gone viral on social media
- The tycoon has gained sympathy from followers by claiming he was provoked, highlighting the prevalence of victim shaming
On March 15, Deth published on Facebook an hour-long compilation of clips that showed displays of violence that have torn the nation in half. In one scene, property tycoon Duong Chhay, 31, lunges across his child to beat Deth, also 31. He then puts her in a headlock and pulls her away. In others, he can be seen dragging her by the hair and hitting her repeatedly.
The footage is said to have been recorded at the couple’s home at the end of 2020, before they divorced. Within 24 hours, the video went viral with more than two million views, but was promptly taken down. The next day on Facebook Live, property tycoon Duong claimed his ex-wife had provoked him. This prompted a wave of sympathy from his followers.
While Duong has been stripped of his “oknha” status, a coveted title issued by royal decree, no arrest has been made. Deth has also faced a huge public backlash that highlights one of the main issues surrounding violence against women in Cambodia, where domestic violence is prevalent – victim-blaming.
Billy Gorter, executive director of This Life Cambodia, which operates programmes under the This Life Without Violence umbrella to raise awareness of and tackle gender-based violence, said: “[This] highlights the fact that victim-blaming is still hugely problematic in Cambodia. We watched the progression of the case with concern, and while initially there was an outpouring of support for Deth Malina, we were disheartened when these voices were overwhelmed by those supporting the perpetrator of abuse.”
