THE SOLOMON Islands Family Protection Act 2014 is set for launch on Friday 8 April, 2016.
The Act which was gazetted on the 1 April 2016 was developed to respond to the need to reduce the current increasing rate of family or domestic violence in Solomon Islands.
It aims to ensure that Solomon Islands homes are peaceful and safe for all members of a family as important units the community.
Evidence through research carried out in Solomon Islands shows that violence in the family or domestic violence is alarming in the Solomon Islands.
A Family Health and Safety Study in 2008 shows that 64 percent of women and girls in Solomon Islands suffer from domestic violence.
The Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs together with the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs are the key ministries that will administer the act in close partnership with other relevant Ministries and Civil Society organsations.
The Act does not create any new body to take action against violence in the family.
It only gives responsibility to government and non-government representatives, the Police, the Courts, and service providers to ensure that all families in the Solomon Islands are free from violence in the home.
The Family Protection Act provides for all members of the family who are victims of domestic violence and also covers any type of abuse that happens in the home between perpetrators and victims of domestic violence.
The Act also sets out actions that will be taken by the Police and the Courts if someone commits an act of domestic violence against another family member.
It also provides for counseling and awareness programmes to help families to prevent domestic violence.
As part of the implementation of the Act, the police, courts and service providers have had ongoing trainings on their respective responsibilities as outlined in the Act.
The penalty for committing domestic violence is a $30,000 fine or a 3 year imprisonment term or both.
— GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION UNIT
The post Family Protection Act set for launching appeared first on Islandsun Daily News.