News

COVID-19 a factor in domestic violence

August 25, 2020 12:30 pm

Minister for Women Mereseini Vuniwaqa says based on April data from the 1560 National Domestic Violence helpline, there had been a significant increase in calls. 

Fiji’s statistics on violence against women rates amongst the highest in the world.

Minister for Women Mereseini Vuniwaqa says based on April data from the 1560 National Domestic Violence helpline, there had been a significant increase in calls.

Vuniwaqa says they recorded a total of 87 calls in February and 187 calls in March.

Article continues after advertisement

“In April we had 527 genuine calls to the national helpline. 66% of the callers were women and 44% men. 54% of calls were domestic violence-related and 30% related to COVID-19.”

Close to 50% of women were reporting a correlation between COVID-19 and an increase in violence, linked directly to the movement restriction and economic strains on families.

The Minister says the cases of domestic violence reported were serious.

Close to three-quarter of women reported physical violence, including some extremely serious forms of violence such as being punched, kicked and hit by stones and lumber.