No Room for Confusion: Protect the Integrity of VAWG Efforts

1 Jul, 2026

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre notes the allocation of funding in the 2026–2027 National Budget for scoping work towards a Men’s Helpline.

It is important to be clear about the context in which crisis services exist in Fiji. There is no dedicated women’s helpline. What exists is a domestic violence crisis response service and helpline because Fiji continues to face a serious and well-documented epidemic of violence against women and girls. National research has found that 64 percent of women in Fiji have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

These services were established in response to that reality, not because violence is experienced equally by men and women, but because it is not.

The announcement of scoping work for a Men’s Helpline therefore raises important questions about its purpose, evidence base and how it fits within Fiji’s broader response to violence against women and girls. If the intention is to provide support for men’s mental health, emotional wellbeing, parenting or relationship challenges, then this should be clearly and transparently stated.

However, if such a service is framed as equivalent to crisis services established to respond to violence against women, it risks creating a false equivalence. Violence against women is a pattern of abuse rooted in gender inequality, unequal power relations, and harmful social norms. It is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men and has distinct causes, impacts, and service needs. Treating this as directly comparable to generalised support needs for men obscures the scale and nature of the problem that existing services were created to address.

FWCC has worked with men for decades through its internationally recognised Male Advocacy for Women’s Human Rights Programme. This work engages men and boys to challenge harmful constructions of masculinity, promote respectful relationships, and prevent violence before it occurs. Our experience demonstrates clearly that engaging men is essential to ending violence against women, but it must be grounded in evidence and focused on addressing the root cause of violence against women and girls. 

FWCC would have appreciated being consulted on this initiative and hopes to be meaningfully engaged as the scoping work proceeds. With decades of experience working both with survivors and with men, the Centre has developed evidence-based approaches that can strengthen any national strategy aimed at preventing violence.

We support initiatives that genuinely assist men. However, these must complement, not confuse, or dilute, the national response to violence against women and girls. Every investment in this area must be guided by evidence, coordination, and a clear understanding of the gendered nature of violence in Fiji.

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