Tonga celebrates White Ribbon Day [1]
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 - 20:54. Updated on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 09:54.
THE International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the White Ribbon Day 25 November, was marked in Tonga as part of a campaign to end violence against women in the world.
The Australian High Commissioner, HE Thomas Roth the Guest of Honour at the event, said that the White Ribbon Campaign was the first male led campaign to end violence against women in the world, where men take a stand that violence in any form is never acceptable.
He said that violence against women was shaped by poverty, community disintegration, alcoholism, drug abuse and mental illness. "The good news is most boys and men are not violent. Most men share the belief that physical and sexual abuse against women is never acceptable," he said.
He commended the important work that has been done by Tonga's Women and Children Crisis Centre in understanding the scale of the problem.
He said that regrettably, their 2010 Year in Review Report found increased incidents of violence against women in Tonga. The numbers showed the magnitude of the problem with 274 incidents of domestic violence, three rape, eight sexual abuse and one sexual abuse and trafficking case.
In addition were 20 child abuse cases , 27 neglected children, five attempted suicide and four sexual harassments. In 2010 the centre also reported that 46 women and children needed and found safe haven at a safe house.
"These are disturbing statistics but we should not forget that males too are often victims of violence. While boys and men are the large majority of perpretrators' of violence, boys and men are often also victims," he said.
AusAID
The Australia Government through AusAID works with and partner Tongan organizations in this area and in Tonga AusAID provides funding for operating costs of the Women and Children Crisis Centre, including the safe house, funds a National Study on Domestic Violence a report that is currently being finalized, and supports events to promote gender equality such as the White Ribbon Day and International Women's Day.
Learned behaviour
The Acting Police Commissioner, Taniela Faletau said that violence against women, "is a learned behaviour from the environment that we live in. To eliminate violence against women we have to change our attitude toward women. Let it be clear that violence and violence against women is a crime and not a private issue but an issue for the whole community that requires communal commitment including police," he said.
Taniela said Police statistics showed a sudden increase in domestic violence. From August 2007 to September 2011, 1,691 domestic violence were reported. Out of the 1,691 domestic violence 1,452 were women victims.
In addition the total Domestic Violence related complaints climbed from 116 in 2007 to 586 in 2010 and between January to September 2011 there were 244 reported complaints. In 2009 four women and one child died, as a result of family lives, he said.
"The solution, I suggest, is to change our attitude and demonstrate our commitment to eliminate violence against women. It is easy to demonstrate our commitment by simply stopping the violence and it rewards you with the Tongan pride and respect that is the Tongan culture," he pointed out.
He said the theme this year "Men in Education on Violence against Women", in a sense recognizes implicitly as the root issue of the problem with attitude and commitment to solve the problem. "Let it be clear that violence and violence against women is a crime and not a private issue but an issue for the whole community that requires communal commitment including police," he said.
The White Ribbon Day celebration was organized by the Ministry of Education, Women's Affairs and Culture and was attended by the Minister of Police Hon Lisiate 'Akolo, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lord Tu'i'afitu and Drew Havea from the Civil Society Forum of Tonga.