Fiji as a nation must condemn heinous crimes of domestic violence and “call out” such behaviours in communities, says Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) coordinator Shamima Ali.
She was reacting to the alleged murder of 21-year-old Nunia Kurualeba in Sydney on Monday in what police alleged was a domestic violence attack.
“We have a deeply entrenched patriarchy which is further exacerbated by dangerous and often perceived cultural and religious norms that promote gender inequalities that often aid and abet criminal and harmful behaviour such as physical sexual and emotional abuse of women,” Ms Ali said.
She is also calling for the review of the Domestic Violence Act to ensure women and girls enjoy their full human rights.
“Our law enforcement agencies need to ensure that women and girls are responded to humanely without bias and they get the justice they deserve by right.”
Nunia’s younger sister, Laite Kurualeba said she was on a video call with a relative when she got wind of her sister in distress.
“My four-month old baby and I rushed over to my neighbour’s house asking them to drop us at her place, when I came the police was already there everyone was waiting outside,” she said.
“She’s been the only one that I had while in Australia and we’ve been through things together, helping each other while my mum is in America and family back in Fiji. It’s been very hard for me to accept that she’s gone this soon — I really miss her a lot — I can’t even think about that she’s really gone.”
Their cousin Keresi Rokorua, described her ‘sister’ as a quiet, adventurous person and a helpful hand around their home in Navosai where the pair grew up following the death of Nunia’s father in 2016.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, about 1.40pm on Monday, police officers and paramedics were called to a home on the Great Western Highway in Kingswood, near Penrith, where Ms
Kurualeba was found with two stab wounds to her chest.
Her 21-year-old partner Jeremia Tuwai was arrested and later charged with domestic violence murder.
He was refused bail and the matter would be returned to court on September 6.
