When Litia arrived at the counselling room at Medical Services Pacific (MSP), she had not spoken about the violence she endured for years. She simply whispered, “I just need a safe place.” She had carried the weight of her experience for years, trauma that she had tried to suppress, until she could no longer.
MSP’s trauma-informed counsellors were there to receive her. In that safe space, Litia received crisis counselling, medical care, and ongoing emotional support. For the first time, she felt truly heard, without shame, without judgment, without fear.
Litia often reflects that the combined support helped her “breathe again, not just survive.” Over time, through peer-support sessions, she found not only healing but purpose: now, she helps other women understand that reaching out is not a sign of weakness, but a courageous act of self-care.
How this support helps women like Litia
Women’s Fund Fiji, with the support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has made counselling support a central focus under its Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) thematic area. Through partners like Medical Services Pacific (MSP) and Transcend Oceania, the Fund ensures survivors have access to safe, culturally grounded, and trauma-informed services.
- MSP’s One-Stop-Shop model integrates counselling, medical care, and legal support so survivors can receive holistic assistance in one place;
- Since partnering with Women’s Fund Fiji in 2018, MSP has reached over 327,861 people, including women, girls, men, boys, and gender-diverse individuals, across Suva, Labasa, and Lautoka;
- In 2024 alone, MSP conducted 218 outreach and awareness sessions, engaging thousands of community members, including 14,717 women, 1,637 girls, 8,062 men, and 1,505 boys on GBV prevention, health, and rights; and
- MSP continues to offer free, confidential counselling, accessible through walk-ins, police referrals, child helplines, and social service agencies.
Why This Matters
In Fiji, gender-based violence remains a widespread challenge. According to MSP, many survivors face multiple barriers, shame, stigma, limited access to services, and fear of retaliation.
By investing in counselling and integrated support, Women’s Fund Fiji, with DFAT’s contribution, is helping to break down those barriers. Survivors like Litia are not just surviving, they are healing, growing, and becoming agents of change in their communities.
