ALARMING figures on violence against women in Fiji have again been thrust into the spotlight with 72 per cent of Fijian women reportedly experiencing physical, sexual or emotional abuse from a husband or partner in their lifetime.
Pacific Community (SPC) principal strategic lead Mereseini Rakuita didn’t mince her words as she laid out the stark reality during the 2025 Women in Media conference at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel yesterday.
Quoting data from the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, she said the confronting statistics remained unchanged more than a decade on.
“Ten years or less, but that’s the data that we work on when we’re dealing with policymaking,” Ms Rakuita said.
Among the grim numbers — 94 per cent of women were slapped or had something thrown at them, 68 per cent were punched or hit with an object, 60 per cent were shoved or had their hair pulled, and 44 per cent were kicked, dragged, or beaten.
Even more disturbing is that 20 per cent were threatened or attacked with a weapon, and 10 per cent were choked or burned, she said.
For 120 women surveyed, their first sexual experience was forced.
Ms Rakuita said male family members and teachers were often behind the violence, while sexual abuse typically involved relatives or family friends.
“Note that this trend often involved close family members, and that more cases were happening in isolated communities,” she said.
She referenced the Police Commissioner’s recent plea for community and religious leaders to speak out.
But Ms Rakuita believes the answer lies elsewhere.
“I dare to propose that right here in this room are the real power brokers when it comes to breaking the culture of silence.”
