Report: Rural women are most vulnerable

THE absence of a proactive stance against violence against women by mainline churches is significant in the Fijian context where almost everyone (98.8 per cent) identifies as religious.

This, according to a report by Medical Services Pacific titled “promising practices in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in Fiji” which was released recently.

The study revealed many women lacked access to support services and the formal justice system and the most vulnerable were 44 per cent of women who lived in rural areas.

“Additionally, Fiji’s history of political coups increases women’s experiences of violence, both during and after the coups,” the report read.

It stated violence against women and girls in Fiji was reinforced by social norms that condoned gender inequality and the use of violence.

“Victims of violence are often blamed by both men and women for not having given the perpetrator enough respect and there are cases where victims of rape within a village are made to marry their assailants.

“Commonly held beliefs include that men should have the dominant place in the household and that women should stay within their female boundaries.”

The report read violence against women and girls was traditionally considered a taboo subject in Fiji, which limited the ability of community members to address the issue.

“Adding to this, traditional (iTaukei) culture includes specific designations within villages dictating that only certain people can report such matters to the village headmen or the police.

“This cultural restraint on women’s ability to speak out against violence is exacerbated for women who marry and move to their husband’s village or land.”