Samoa Victim Support Group's president is urging everyone to work together to put an end to child abuse. Photo: File
The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) is calling on Samoan families and communities to take child abuse seriously.
The NGO's confidential, free helpline service has recorded a rise in calls, especially since the festive season of 2024, regarding children being repeatedly abused by their parents and family members in the country.
SVSG's president Siliniu Lina Chang urges everyone to work together to put an end to child abuse. "It is time to take a stand and protect children," she said.
In two cases, the NGO stepped in to help two four-year-olds boys who were allegedly being physically abused by members of their families.
The boys were taken to the hospital for treatment and examined by clinicians who found multiple bruises, old and new, indicating that the abuse had been ongoing for an extended period.
Further reports indicated the disturbing trend of sexual abuse, with cases involving girls as young as 14, who are now sheltered in the care of SVSG due to pregnancies resulting from sexual abuse within their own families.
These cases are now being investigated by the police, with legal procedures underway.
During the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted by Samoa last year, the SVSG launched its 'Torch of Change' campaign.
SVSG's youth coordinator Talaimanu Peneueta had said that the campaign was about addressing Samoa's issues surrounding youth and domestic violence.
Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa said that CHOGM was about putting vulnerable groups at the front.
According to a report by the Commonwealth, almost nine in 10 Samoan women experience physical or emotional violence at the hands of a family member, with six out of ten experiencing intimate partner violence.
