The discretionary powers of police officials in effecting arrests on perpetrators of domestic violence is highly problematic and highlights the gaps that exist in the combating of crimes of domestic violence. In certain circumstances, police officials were not obligated to arrest suspected perpetrators of domestic violence where suspicion existed of continued abuse of a spouse or intimate partner. It was therefore recommended that the DVA should be amended in order to remove the discretionary powers of police officials in matters relating to domestic violence. In particular, it was recommended that section 3 of the DVA should be amended by replacing the phrase "may arrest" with the phrase "must arrest" in order to ensure that victims of domestic violence were protected against retaliation from or by the abuser.