Victims of domestic violence will have easy access to free non-judgmental counseling and also to a police officer and a registered nurse, who will be stationed at the Women and Children Crisis Centre in central Nuku‘alofa as part of a new “one-stop-shop” crisis service that was launched today.

 

The police officer and the nurse are being provided under a three year project that is piloting a “one stop shop” crisis service to help victims of domestic violence to escape from suffering further abuse.

 

The Minister for Police, Prisons and Fire Hon. Sifa Tu’utafaiva opened the new counseling rooms at the Women and Children Crisis Centre at Tungi Arcade today.

 

He said there was a high number of domestic violence incidents in Tonga. From 2008 to date the Tonga Police had recorded almost 2,300 complaints for domestic violence and compared to the population of over 100,000, it was a high number of domestic violence incidents.

 

“From the police perspective it is our duty to support the Women and Children Crisis Centre and have a police officer placed here full time. We will enforce the law to the highest form and with the help of the courts stop those who commit domestic violence in Tonga,” he said.

 

 

 

The Director of the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) ‘Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki said their objective for the one stop shop was to keep victims from being re-victimised.

 

'Ofa said the establishment of a room for a police officer to be based in the centre recognised their attempts to create safe spaces for victims who could feel safe and confident enough to come to the centre where they could now access a range of services, with confidential counseling. “We provide free non-judgmental counseling based on human rights ... We also have a Safe House that is in a separate location from here that has night security,” she said.

 

Officer Takau has worked at the WCCC for last three weeks, and can take statements from victims, and act as the liason officer between the police and the crisis centre.

 

‘Ofa said another police officer would be based at the another centre, the Tonga National Centre for Women and Children in January 2014.

 

She said the centre's three-year project would include a registered nurse in 2014 under the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Plan funded by the Australian Government.

 

The New Zealand High Commissioner HE Mr. Mark Talbot the Head of the Mission Fund, had funded the WCCC services launch and a multi-media campaign package to raise awareness about the one stop shop crisis model.

 

The launch of the service was attended by the WCCC trustees and employees, the Police Commissioner Grant O’Fee, members of the diplomatic corps with other service providers and NGO’s.