‘Families of Perpetrators Need Emotional Support’

Women organisations are now looking to provide more emotional support for families of perpetrators who have been publicly scrutinised for crimes being committed. This was raised during a panel discussion at the Grand Pacific Hotel yesterday. This is through the partnership of four of the Fiji Women’s Fund’s grantee partner, who work towards preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls.

Pacific Centre for Peace Building director Florence Swamy hopes that relevant organisations around the country will give these families the same support that’s given to victims of violence. “There’s not many help provided and we hope it changes. Many of these families are being bullied online or socially and so it does affect them mentally as they silently suffer,” she said. “Restorative justice is available and there are organisations such as Medical Services Pacific, Pacific Women just to name a few who are here to help and we hope that more resources are available to help these families.”

Feedback: kelera.sovasiga@fijisun.com.fj

Photo: Kelera Sovasiga Fromleft: House of Sarah advocate Reverend Sereima Lomaloma, Medical Services Pacific’s Ashna Shaleen, Fiji Women’s Fund’s Michelle Reddy and Pacific Women’s, Tara Chetty during the panel discussion on ‘Promising practices on preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls’ at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on October 20, 2020.