A young mother survivor of a domestic violence incident last weekend.
She and her three children are now safely settled in at the Domestic Violence Shelter – the Sakura House, operated by the Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG).
A concerned neighbour became the voice of the abused woman when she took to social media for help and was picked up by supporters of SVSG who alerted the Group of the need to respond.
Despite the messages reaching SVSG during the early hours of Sunday morning, the battered woman’s face on social media triggered a saving lives operation for the Group.
The safety of the woman and children was the priority. Once this was ensured, the Response Team brought the survivors to the nearest Police outpost for their usual assistance in such matters. And together with the Police, the woman and children were accompanied to the National Health Services, where they were given medication and discharged to the Domestic Violence shelter for their safety.
The young woman survivor and her 3 children are settling in at their temporary accommodation while the Police is investigating the matter. SVSG will continue to follow up with the Police on behalf of the woman survivor and her children.
The carers at the shelter are attending to survivors’ daily well-being while SVSG’s Psychosocial Support has connected virtually with the woman, in light of precautionary measures in place at the Campus of Hope shelter facility due to COVID-19.
Close to 70 abused children remain in residence since the national lockdown in mid-March, and while some children have returned home once their parents recovered from COVID-19, additional women and children survivors of domestic violence are admitted for their safety.
The Chair of the SVSG Board, Georgina Lui acknowledges the support from all its partners here and afar, who have alerted and reached out to SVSG on this case, and offered prayers while the Response Team were on the road.
This saving lives operation was a success, as the mother and her three children were rescued and safely sheltered.
Thank you, Samoa for your continuous support and for entrusting SVSG with matters affecting our families, especially the most vulnerable population are usually women and children.
