Tonga has stepped up its efforts to curb domestic violence with a new ‘Access to Justice Project’ legal centre launched last Friday, 8 December, that will provide free legal advice and support to survivors, as complaints of domestic violence continue to rise.

“Regrettably, domestic violence in our society is a frequent occurrence, that we in our shame, brush under the carpet,” said Minister of Justice, Hon Vuna Fa’otusia at the launch on Friday evening at the Ministry of Justice.

He noted that domestic violence is a problem which is largely underreported affecting families, society and the economy. Hon Fa'otusia said the total number of domestic violence complaints received and finalized by the court registry in 2015 was 442. In 2017 there were 619 cases of complaints, an increase of 40%.

“If we leave this kind of problem unattended, we risk the situation where future generations of our children are brought up with a mentality of brutality and violence,” he said.

Family Protection Act

Since the passing of the Family Protection Act in 2013, criminalizing the act of domestic violence in Tonga, its shortfalls included costly legal services to survivors and a lack of services for survivors in the outer islands.

Through the new centre, he said survivors of domestic violence will now have safer, easier and improved access to the justice system.

SPC Deputy Director General, Dr Audrey Aumua said the centre will provide dedicated legal aid “and they will also include a court representative free of charge”.

“Staff will be trained to provide high quality services and to assist survivors throughout the process.”

The project will ensure everyone in the country has access to the services of the centre. Staff will provide assistance to outer islands over the phone and will also travel there with the regular court circuit to provide assistance in person.

Freedom from violence

Ms Charlotta Bredberg, Government of Sweden’s Development Cooperation Section (Regional), Human Rights and Democracy, said “Freedom from violence is a fundamental human right, and it’s a critical precondition for human development and peaceful and inclusive societies.”

“We have an obligation to our future generations to do our best. To change this negative pattern of human behaviour.”

Staff members for the centre will be recruited jointly by the Ministry of Justice and The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT). Funding support and technical training will be provided by the RRRT to train and mentor staff through the lifetime of the project.

The creation of the project by the Ministry of Justice and RRRT also involved a number of agencies including the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, TWCCC and other NGO partners with funding contribution from the Governments of Australia and Sweden.

The centre is located at the Ministry of Justice office near the Fasi-moe-Afi Magistrate's Court and is expected to open for service to the public in the first quarter of 2018.

The launch of the centre also commemorated International Human Rights Day on Sunday, 10 December to mark the efforts of ending violence against women and girls.