Violence against women and children NGO notes 1732 cases
FIJI Women’s Crisis Centre coordinator Shamima Ali says they have received 1732 violence against women and children cases so so far this year compared with 994 cases for the same period last year.
Speaking at a 16 Days of Activism event in Labasa yesterday, she said these were cases reported at the FWCC centres.
She said of the 1732 cases, the
Central Division recorded the highest with 758, followed by Nadi with 345, Ba and Labasa areas recorded 270 cases each and Ra had 89 cases.
Ms Ali said seven women had lost their lives as a result of domestic violence.
“This year the theme of the 16 Days of Activism is ‘Femicide’ and we have seen 1732 new cases that have come in,” she said.
“These are new people coming in to report and those who come repeatedly to report to our branches.
“Often we would receive around 1000 cases in a year but since COVID in which we recorded 300 per cent, that has come down slowly even though it’s still on a high. There are contributing factors including the post impacts of COVID and another interesting development is to do with seasonal workers leaving behind their wives and children – and this is creating poverty for women.
“There is also political uncertainty – like people who have lost their jobs, even though they get rehired, they don’t start off the rate they used to earn before being laid off.”
She said in such situations, men would take out their frustration on women because they were traditionally known as family providers. Ms Ali said there were other contributing factors and they were also looking at the plight of women who were affected by climate change issues.
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