Chanel College of the Catholic Church in Samoa is one of the six schools joining the Men and Boys Campaign to end violence against women and girls.
Led by the Samoa Victim Support Group with funding support from the government of Samoa, this week saw young boys of Chanel College, representing their school in an educational documentary titled ‘Let Go and Let God Heal’.
The key message addresses trauma and mental health affecting children in domestic violence situations.
Coming from the young boys themselves, the message appeals to the children, especially other young boys, to speak up, confide to a friend or seek help through the support services available in Samoa, rather than tolerating the mental abuse from violence, as a norm.
Engaging young men in schools to be part of the ‘Men and Boys Against Violence’ Campaign is SVSG’s approach to educate our sons at a younger age that violence is not okay, so that they will become better men, husbands and fathers to their own children.
Chanel College’s ‘Let Go and Let God Heal’ documentary message will be released this week as part of SVSG’s 16 Days of Activism Campaign.
The five other colleges that are part of the ‘Men & Boys Against Violence’ Campaign are Maluafou College, Wesley College, Seventh Day Adventist School, Don Bosco School Alafua and Tuasivi College in Savaii.
All of these schools have completed filming their documentary messages which will all be released during the 16 Days of Activism.
SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang said SVSG was set up to provide support services for victims of violence. Engaging men and boys, even perpetrators of violence, is SVSG’s holistic approach towards eliminating violence against women and girls.
“It is SVSG’s way of ensuring that we are leaving no one behind while advancing progress being made on addressing violence against women and girls.”
