A human rights organisation in
Samoa is calling for urgent action to address what it
believes is the “alarming increase” in violence and abuse
against children.
The Samoa Victim Support Group
(SVSG) said reports of parental negligence, the tragic death
of a disabled girl, and the search for missing children on
social media in recent months have raised serious
concerns.
The group said it has noted an increase in
child victims being abused sexually and violently.
“It
is particularly disheartening to witness young girls, as
young as 8 and 9 years old, being sheltered as victims of
sexual abuse by their own relatives,” it said in a statement
this week.
“One such case involves a young girl
currently under SVSG’s care, who was discovered by a family
sleeping in front of their home.”
According to SVSG,
the girl had been a victim of abuse and felt too frightened
to return to her abusive home environment.
“The public
was also devastated to hear about the death of a 13-year-old
girl who was sexually abused and killed by her own relative
at her own home.”
The advocacy organisation said
parents are expected to play a crucial role “as loving
protectors of their children”.
“The rising cases of
abuse reveal a troubling carelessness among some parents,
highlighting a failure to prioritise their protective
responsibilities.”
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The SVSG wants the Samoan community
to collectively address these social issues.
In
February, SVSG said its free helpline service had
recorded a rise in calls regarding children being abused by
their parents and family members.
The United Nations
Children’s Fund (Unicef) says high rates of violence against
children – who
represent 43 percent of the population – remains of
concern in Samoa.
According to the UN agency,
approximately 90 percent of girls and boys are subjected to
violence in their lifetime.
Parents and families must
confront these uncomfortable truths and ensure the safety of
all children from violence and abuse, SVSG said.
It
also called on community leaders, including those in
villages and churches, to revisit strategies aimed at
addressing such issues.
SVSG president Siliniu Lina
Chang has urged the public to utilise the services offered
by the organisation.
“The free helpline is available
24/7, and the SVSG facilities are always open for
counselling and discussions when needed,” Chang
said.
“Let us all work together to ensure a peaceful
and safer
Samoa.”
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