Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) at the Tigoa Police Station in the Rennell and Bellona Province recently conducted community awareness meetings on the Family Protection Act (FPA) for communities and the school in West Rennell.
“The awareness meetings have been held after two of our officers from Tigoa Police Station attended a two-week training on the Family Protection Act held at the Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara,” says Supervising Provincial Police Commander, Renbel Province, Sergeant Chris Tongaka.
“Our people especially our women need to understand what is in the FPA that protects them from domestic violence. Police need to get the confidence of members of our communities before those affected by domestic violence can feel free to report incidences of this crime,” says PPC Tongaka.
He adds: “The recent community awareness meetings were held in communities in around Tigoa and the school in West Rennell before we could move to East Rennell and Bellona.”
“With the developments on Rennell including mining and logging, we have seen a certain level of increase in the number of domestic violence cases. However these cases need to be reported to the police. Furthermore, everyone needs to understand that the issue of domestic violence is not for the victim only but it’s everyone’s business.”
PPC Tongaka explains: “Everyone in the community has the responsibility to report any incidence of domestic violence that happens around them. The FPA protects you from any retaliation by the perpetrator.”