It’s easier to talk about other countries’ atrocities than to look deeply at the blight of violence meted out on innocent children on a daily basis in our own country says the parish priest of Oamaru in the South Island of New Zealand. In an opinion piece in the Otago Daily Times Fr Wayne Healey Read more
It’s a “national tragedy”, a “dirty secret”, an “outrage”. But within the hyperbole surrounding the issue of domestic violence in our country are countless stories of individuals and families who have felt its impact first-hand. My own family has such a story – but we’re ‘lucky ones’, who ‘got away’. My sister and I escaped Read more
“Violence in Samoa is enormous and yet people don’t consider violence as such,” says the Director of Catholic Social Services in Samoa, Sale Mikaele Kolio. To address this issue the Catholic Church has established a society with a vision to revive family love and end violence in homes. Called the Gaualofa Society, its mission is Read more
Sister Mary Brigid Perez has been nominated by Archbishop of Agana in Guam, Anthony S. Apuron, for the Catholic Extension’s Lumen Award. Sister Brigid spent nearly 50 years as an educator in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese. After she left teaching, she became program manager of the Alee Family Violence Shelter. “Alee” is the nautical Read more
We live in a violent society. You can see it in popular movies, our favourite sports, the occasional spectacular act of violence that captures our collective imaginations. Wondering if David Bain did it is still a national hobby; I’ve even chatted about it over a flat white and scone at morning tea. Somehow, it’s an easy conversation. Read more
The Children’s Commissioner’s latest edition of Children journal explores some of the issues and experiences of the faith community when seeking to address family violence. It includes some inspiring first-hand stories from those training faith leaders – and articles that examine the complex role of faiths that wish to address family violence. Look at the journal
Child poverty and domestic violence are still not being taken seriously enough by ordinary New Zealanders, says The Salvation Army. On Wednesday The Salvation Army released its latest annual State of the Nation report reviewing social progress in New Zealand The report acknowledges creditable progress in some areas of social wellbeing. However, Salvation Army Social Read more
Domestic violence has spiked over Christmas – New Year in Fiji. Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre says it has received reports of 120 cases of violence against women in the past eight days. The news comes less than a month after the Fiji Women’s Crisis centre released the results of a survey that showed 64 per Read more
The death of a baby in Samoa recently has sparked calls for a law to force men to take responsibility for any child they father, whether or not they maintain a relationship with the mother. Reverend Mauga Motu, General Secretary Samoa National Council of Churches says the church believes men shouldn’t take their responsibility as Read more
New initiatives to try to combat violence against women have been on the agenda of a UN meeting in Fiji last week. 26 representatives from six Pacific Island countries are in Suva to review national strategies and initiatives Melissa Alvarado, from the UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office is one of the Coordinators of the Read more