“Any form of violence against women and girls is wrong and must not be tolerated,” said Rev Dr Tu’ipulotu Katoanga, stressing, secondly that it is the responsibility of every man, regardless of his social economic status, to play a role in ending violence against women and girls.

The President of the Church of Tonga was speaking yesterday in Nuku'alofa at the opening of the second stage of the Male Advocacy Training on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.

He said the third key point men should acknowledge is that all organizations, government and churches, must be actively involved in planning and running programs to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

The course, organized by the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC), was attended by men from a variety of workplaces including police, civil servants, charities and the church.

Rev Dr Katoanga reminded the men that violence against women and girls includes domestic or physical violence, verbal violence and mental health violence that could happen anywhere such as at home, in the workplace, village, community, and within the extended family.

“We all need to join the fight in ending violence against women and girls,” he urged.

He added he was shocked and speechless after reading the statistics and case studies from WCCC about the “experiences of our own women here in Tonga”.

“We must not be ashamed in dealing with this, we must not lose heart, we must join in the fight to put an end to the violence women and girls face in Tonga.”

He said anyone could be a perpetrator, even those closest to us.

“I could be one, you could be one, your minister or pastor or any other type of man you can think of could be one, and for those of us who think we are not but we stand by and say nothing or do nothing when violence happens against a woman, we are actually perpetrating the violence if not directly but indirectly. We are.”

WCCC Director, ‘Ofa Guttenbeil Likiliki said that 35 men registered for the training. However, around 20 men were taking part in the second stage training with six men from the first stage also helping out.

She said the attendance rate for the second stage is higher than the first, which is a great sign that the training program is raising awareness.

Melkie Anton from Papua New Guinea, will lead the training. Mr Anton was part of the inaugural group of Pacific men who worked with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW) to  develop the home grown Male Advocacy initiative over 4-5 years.

The second stage Male Advocacy Training will run over five days between 21-25 August 2017.

It is funded by Australia Aid (DFAT), UNWomen Pacific Regional Ending Violence Against Women Facility Fund, and the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW).