In the wake of recent horrific domestic abuse cases, the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement believes there is an epidemic of violence against women in the country.

In the last three months, four women aged between nineteen and forty-four were allegedly murdered by their partners.

In one of these cases, the victim was pregnant while in the other two cases – six children are now without a mother.

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has recorded more than 295 domestic violence cases in just six months.

Fiji Women’s Rights Movement Executive Director Nalini Singh has strongly condemned the horrific and brutal killing of women by their intimate partner, saying enough is enough.

“What is horrifying for us in FWRM and the women’s movement is that in a very short span of time we have had four such deaths and that is absolutely unacceptable for us and for us to know that in the calculated ways in which these murders have taken place and there is no reason to accept this and we have to work together to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

Singh says people need to realize that violence is not a solution.

“There has to be a firm realization that violence is no response when we feel slated or uncomfortable or as if someone has done something wrong. There have to be ways in which men especially because men are usually the perpetrators can speak about this and seek the services.”

Fiji Women’s Crisis Center Coordinator Shamima Ali has labeled such perpetrators bullies.

FWRM research conducted in 2017 indicates that it takes women over two and a half years to report domestic violence.