Rise And Demand A Stop To The War On Girls And Women

13 January 2013

PRESS RELEASE

Rise And Demand A Stop To The War On Girls And Women

Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni (ELFA) is joining the One Billion Rising global campaign to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and the rape culture ends!

Girls and women in Fiji continue to live in fear and insecurity. The recent gang rape in Savusavu is a reflection of the culture that is prevalent in Fiji in which girls and women are subjected to some form of violence daily.

In 2007, a girl was abducted in the Western Division and gang raped. Victim blaming denied her justice. In 2009, a man was given suspended sentence for murdering his wife. In 2010, Zoya Bibi was brutally gang raped, mutilated and murdered. In mid 2012, a girl who was raped twice is still struggling for justice. And there are many more cases and incidents of violence against girls and women in our country.

The brutal Delhi rape was condemned and highlighted by many nationally and internationally. Violence against girls and women in Fiji are usually underrepresented in our media and there is nearly always a lack of public outrage by us.

Gang rapes, rapes, sexual assault, domestic violence, street harassment, sexual harassment at work, are just some of the forms of violence that girls and women in our society continue to be subjected to daily. The media through sensitised and adequate coverage has the power to shape societal attitudes and can foster greater public dialogue and greater public responsibility. Violence against girls and women is not a women’s issue but is a humanitarian issue that each and every one of us should be rising against.

The people of Fiji need to rise and refuse to accept violence against girls and women. We need to change our own behaviour and attitudes in order to stop the war on girls and women. We need to stop perpetuating a rape culture and revolutionise our culture in which girls and women are treated with equality.

ELFA is refusing to accept any forms of violence against girls and women as a given! We are calling to all women and men to stand up and rise. It is time for a new and safe way of being. It is time to stop the war on girls and women.

ELFA is an alumni of 82 young women aged 18-35 years. The members of ELFA have graduated from the young women in leadership program of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) held in five groups over a period of 6 years. The alumni members are made up of women from diverse socioeconomic, cultural and racial backgrounds including of diverse sexual orientation and gender identities. The objectives of ELFA is creating awareness and advocating for human rights and sustainable living based on the principles of feminism and humanity.

ENDS

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