Honiara : 10 April 2016
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, the Hon Manasseh Sogavare, has strongly encouraged Solomon Islanders to report cases of family or domestic violence to law enforcement agencies as the country now enforces its Family Protection Act (FPA).
Parliament initially passed the Act in 2014 to combat the high rate of family violence in the country and to ensure all homes and communities are peaceful and safe for members of the family.
Solomon Islands is rated fifth in the world and second in the pacific region for its high rate of family violence.
Recent Studies have shown that 2 out of every 3 women or girls have experienced violence from an intimate partner or a male family member.
Speaking at the formal launching of the FPA on Friday, last week, in Honiara, Prime Minister Sogavare said the State and its partner institutions can only help victims of family violence if cases are reported and he went on to say, “For far too long, Solomon Islanders have tolerated, excused and justified domestic violence which means that for a lot of people, accepting violence in the family became entrenched and resulted in violent crimes going unpunished and the perpetrators walking free. “
“This is unacceptable and violence in the home must be stopped! Victims must be protected! Perpetrators must be punished,” he added.
