Women in leadership suffer domestic violence in silence

Women in leadership positions who experience domestic violence are often reluctant to seek help because of stigma, public scrutiny and concerns about their reputation.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran and Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) coordinator Shamima Ali say women in senior professional and leadership roles are not immune to domestic violence.

Ms Kiran said while women with greater economic independence may have more options to leave abusive relationships, many still face significant barriers.

“Women who have more economic power are the ones who have greater opportunity to step out. But it’s not as easy as that,” she said.

“There are many pull factors that remain in those relationships, and some who have economic power still worry about stigma and family pressures. So it is not an easy space to be.”

Ms Ali said many women in leadership positions choose to remain silent because of the fear of damaging their personal and professional standing.

“It’s harder for them because they try to keep it covered. It is very hard for women to achieve leadership positions,” she said.

“Women leaders find it very difficult to seek help. When they are facing domestic violence at home and feel there is little support available, they often suffer in silence.”

Ms Ali said FWCC data showed that more than half of the approximately 3000 cases it handles each year involve domestic violence.

She said the increase in reporting has helped highlight the scale of the issue.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection is upgrading its service delivery protocol to strengthen support for victims. The revised system will involve multiple agencies, including the Fiji Police Force and the Ministry of Health, to ensure a more coordinated response for those seeking help.