No Excuse for Violence Against Women, Girls and Children

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – 29 November 2023: Samoa is joining the world this week in the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Based Violence campaign on the theme “Unite-Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls.”

This year’s campaign slogan is “No Excuse” for violence and as the Minister for Women Community & Social Development (MWCSD) Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o said in her keynote address at the launch that her Ministry is committed to lead the campaign with the support of all Government Ministries and state owned enterprises.

“This will include the creation of strong partnerships with our established civil society organisations, law enforcers, development partners and the wider Samoa communities to make significant tailwinds to propel actions to End Violence Against Women and Girls beyond the 16 days activism campaign,” she said.

The 16 days of Activism campaign is an initiative by individuals, 6 groups and civil society organisations around the world supported by the United Nations.

Mulipola noted the highest recorded rates of violence against women and girls globally with two out of three women subjected to physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes.

She also highlighted that the last national inquiry into family violence in Samoa in 2018 reaffirmed the need for intervention to address the alarming rates of family violence in Samoa.

The figures she disclosed are quite alarming with:

• 87% of children covered in the inquiry experienced threats of violence in family setting,
• 86% had been subjected to kicking, punching and other assaults;
• 9.5% female reported to have been raped by a family member in their lifetime.
• For adults – 86% women subject to kicking, punching, slapping, causing bodily harm using a hard object (rock, stick, tree trunk, hose etc),
• 87% women respondents subject to yelling and harsh words,
• 24% experienced choking and
• 87% women experienced threats of physical violence or bodily harm.

“These are alarming rates and the economic cost of family violence is estimated to cost $98 million to $132 million or in the range of 6%-7% of Samoa’s GDP,” she said.

Such cost will continue to rise if there is no intervention from Government and other stakeholders.

She said the percentages of violence are good indicators that show what Samoa has to prioritise to prevent violence against women and girls.

“It is not only a deep rooted social issue but an economic and financial burden on society and the Government. I urge stakeholders not to turn a blind eye on the importance of our social statistics in addition to economic statistics on gender based violence affecting women, girls and children,” the Minister said.

Part of the campaign this year include awareness programmes to be aired on radio, television, various online platforms, educational workshops covering parenting, story writing and poetry competition with the focus to end violence against women, girls and children including people with disabilities.

She also reminded Samoa of their Christian and cultural values that teach respect and the willingness to listen; understand and find ways to discuss and address the problem.

Call for justice
Recently, the Judiciary system came under fire when people took to social media to voice their disappointment over a Court of Appeal ruling that reduced an 18 year sentence on a man guilty of raping his 14 year old daughter.

The 18 year sentence was reduced to 13 years with the deduction of time the man was in custody while awaiting his appeal hearing.

Also under fire is the slow process in the Court hearing the case of a man who is accused of raping his 12 year old daughter. The daughter passed away 4 years ago and the hearing of the matter just started on Monday this week.

Again, people have taken to social media to question why it took so long for the Court to hear this case.

The 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women, Girls and Children is one of the avenues to inspire, encourage and give voice to women and girls to come forward and share their experiences of abuse and violence at the hands of the very people who should protect and love them.