Port Vila, Vanuatu (Commonwealth Union)_April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month the world over and the Vanuatu Peace Corps is on an aggressive campaign to create awareness on the topic of sexual assault which for the most part is a conversation less discussed and subject to cultural and social taboos. Sexual Assault Awareness month aims to discuss the topic with individuals and organisations, creating dialogue about sexual harassment, assault, abuse and prevention.
This year’s theme is Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity. While the theme itself is a loaded topic, if it is broken down to a straightforward premise, it simply means this – sexual violence stems from a lack of equity due to systems of oppression whether it works through individuals, communities, organisations or institutions. A system change is demanded where racial equity and respect can be built on a solid foundation.
It also puts the spotlight on the various ‘isms’ which are rampant in today’s society and undeniably the cause for inequality on a number of fronts. Racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, classism and ableism are those that form a long list of historical conditions that mould lives and communities. Privilege and identity are shaped into creating unequal foundations leading to oppression which in turn drives sexual violence.
In November last year, the Vanuatu film Mat Mo Pig which dealt with rape, sexual violence and the traumatic journey of survivors was nominated for the Sydney Women’s International Festival. The film by Wan Smol Bag journeyed through difficulties women face in the justice system and through traditional kastom (traditional culture, religious, art and magic in Melanesia) reconciliations. With victim blaming symptomatic of Vanuatu society, the film hoped to inspire people to stop blaming the victim of sexual assault. “It’s another person’s crime and the victim shouldn’t be blamed for that,” it proclaimed.
Domestic violence in Vanuatu is decriminalized but that hasn’t changed the statistics in any way. UN Women reports that a total of 60 per cent of women in Vanuatu experience physical or sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime, while 44 per cent of women and girls have been subjected to this in the last twelve months. Lifetime non-partner sexual violence is at 33 percent. One in three girls under the age of fifteen have been sexually abused. The majority of the crimes are done by an intimate partner or family member. And child marriages still persist with 21.4 per cent child brides experiencing sexual assault.
