Enough is enough - Tabuya

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya says she is outraged and deeply hurt by the unfortunate case of a Fijian women allegedly murdered in a domestic altercation in Santa Rosa because it is a serious realization that the reality of Gender-Based and Intimate-Partner Violence is in fact much more terrifying than what we know through reports from various sources.

Tabuya says enough is enough, as no woman and family deserves this.

She says today we grieve the tragic loss of another Fijian sister who we lost in a place where she should have been the safest, her own home.

Tabuya says on the 4th of July, 2023 – as Americans celebrated Independence Day, the Fijian woman was brutally murdered in Santa Rosa, California.

The Minister says she was stabbed to death by her 51 year old husband following a domestic altercation and the horrific crime had been established by the Santa Rosa Police through a media release yesterday.

Tabuya says it was confirmed that the woman, also 51 years old, had sustained multiple stab wounds.

She thanked the Santa Rosa Police for their swift response to the 911 call.

The Minister says it is extremely unfortunate that the worst had already happened, but also content that the suspect was immediately arrested.

Her sincere condolences go out to the bereaved family of the sister we have lost on Tuesday.

Tabuya says as the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, she strongly condemns this grave violation of human rights that has sadly become so ingrained in our system that Fiji ranks amongst the highest in the world, where 2 out of 3 women faces some form of intimate partner violence.

She says when cases like this happen, this is not just a loss for one family - it is a loss for us as a nation because we know how bad the situation is in our Fijian society and we also know what the root causes are, and yet we choose to turn a blind eye.

Tabuya says it is a matter of grave shame that these roots of patriarchy continue to deepen even across the seas.

She says indeed gender based violence is a global threat, but when a Fijian perpetrates it, it poses a huge question on us as a people no matter where in the world we are.

Tabuya says this has got to stop.

She says the continued threat to the lives of survivors and those at risk of gender based violence is indicative of a widespread crisis and of deeply ingrained violence and discrimination against women and girls in Fiji and the Fijian Diaspora.

She says as a government, they are trying their best to do what they possibly can to end this ill that is consuming our values and pride as Fijian people and the most basic of human rights of the victims and survivors but this is not a fight that government alone can handle.

Tabuya says we need the churches, chiefs, our men and our communities to speak up. She says they have established the toll free Domestic Violence Helpline 1560; they have partnered with Civil Society and communities for awareness, they are now focused on the implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against all Women and Girls even before it starts, which the Prime Minister launched in June and which several key ministries have given budgetary support.

She also says she shudders to think what we are teaching our young Fijians with gender based violence being a prevalent form of violation of women and girls within their own homes and communities.