Studies conducted in six Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) focused on women’s life-time experiences of violence. Of the women surveyed, 60-80% had experienced forms of physical or sexual violence by partners or others. Women of all ages are affected, including young girls, and types of violence include assault, rape, and sexual abuse of children. The perpetrators of violence were almost always intimate partners and family members, and low reporting rates mean this problem is largely invisible. In situations of disaster, SGBV is a pervasive factor which heightens existing vulnerabilities.
Communities, humanitarian actors, and key service providers must ensure essential measures are taken, in line with global standards, to provide a comprehensive protection response for women and girls during and after disasters.
Existing data and the collection of new data should be disaggregated by sex and analysed to promote research and policies that effectively combat violence.
