by Linny Folau

Wife beating, child molesting and prostitution are the pressing social problems that women are facing in Tonga today, according to Chief Inspector Officer Lautoa Faletau.

Lautoa said that while the beating of women by their husbands was the most common cause of domestic violence, the molesting of children and prostitution were also growing concerns.

Lautoa was speaking on the topic of Domestic Violence at a five-day workshop on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which started in Nuku'alofa on September 22.

"The Legal System does protect women and children but it can be improved", said Lautoa.

With regards to prostitution she said that during the eight years she had been with the police force she knew of only one case of prostitution where the offender was identified, charged, and convicted, and was sentenced to three months in jail.

"The reality is there is a lot more prostitution taking place and it is carried out mainly by young girls from broken homes and those coming in to Nuku'alofa from the outer islands. It may be done as a one off job, and it is hard to nail down those who are involved," said Lautoa.

Lautoa said that increasing number of molestation cases of young girls and boys had been reported to the police, and that most of these offences were committed by either a close family member or friends.

The workshop, hosted by the Catholic Women's League, was officially opened by HRH Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho on September 22. It was attended by 30 participants from various organisations, including the Women's Development Centre of the Prime Minister's Office and Statistics Department, the Langafonua, 'Aloua Ma'a Tonga, Salvation Army, and the Catholic's Women League.

A representative of the United Nations International Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), 'Amelia Kinahoi, said that she hoped that participants at the workshop would be able to educate more women about their rights and about the CEDAW Convention and that the Tongan government would ratify the convention.

Countries that have ratified the CEDAW Convention are Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and PNG.