Family main abusers of women in Fiji: Expert

was by their intimate partners or mother-in- laws.
Some recent cases have been highlighted where women had to go for treatment at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s Burns Unit.
It was revealed that a woman did not want to be discharged from hospital as she feared for her life if she returned home to her abusive family.
Forms of abuse and violence on this woman included her partner pushing her face into hot water.
CWM Hospital’s Doctor James Fong said that such cases have to be referred to the Social Welfare Ministry and the Police immediately.
With the Domestic Violence Decree in place, victims should be protected and such cases have to be reported and an application for a restraining order should be made as soon as the matter is reported.
Concerns were raised earlier in Fiji that women of Indian descent prefer not to report domestic violence to keep their families together.
Prem Mala, President of the Shree Sanatan Dharm Nari Sabha of Fiji, the female wing of one of the country’s largest Hindu organisations, the Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha Fiji, said their branches throughout Fiji dealt with an average of 25 to 30 cases of violence against women every week.
However, Indian women preferred not to report to the police for fear they will lose their husbands and family which “is the most important thing in their lives.
“That is what our culture teaches and that is what these women follow,” she added.
The majority of Fijian women who are Christians also have the same line of thought. Men being household heads , are revered and even though they maybe violent, the cases are under-reported especially in rural areas and villages. — Xinhua.