In her police report, the 19-year old victim claimed that the incident took place on Aug 17 when she visited her mother.

She said the visit ended in a quarrel with her mother over an undisclosed issue, and this angered her stepfather who witnessed the incident.

“He pulled my neck, slapped my face, kicked me in the back and stomped on my head,” she said in her police report.

She said parts of her body were swollen. She sought treatment at the Taiping Hospital and lodged a police report the next day.

Sharing her plight on Instagram yesterday, the girl said she was seeking justice, and also hoped to spread awareness about domestic violence.

Kerian police chief Mazuki Mat said the man was detained the day the report was filed.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, and Section 18 of the Domestic Violence Act 1994 for intentionally causing injury.

“The police are still investigating this case. The suspect has been released on police bail,” he told FMT.