Domestic violence in the Solomon Islands

“…Other papers have noted that reporting behaviour among people who have experienced gender-based violence is lacking in the literature, with the peer-reviewed literature providing few quantitative estimates of reporting behaviour 30. There are emerging data about the rates of intimate partner violence in the Solomon Islands, who is affected, who the perpetrators are and what the impact is 17 30–32. This study contributes new data to these questions, including confirmation that almost half of women report experiences of intimate partner violence and that this can have wider social impacts, such as children missing school.…”

“…This is a retrospective study, so there is a risk of recall bias, with participants either under-reporting or over-reporting previous experiences of violence. The previous studies were retrospective chart reviews of Solomon Islands hospital data, or personal experiences from overseas healthcare workers on placements,17 23 and likely under-reported the incidence and nature of gender-based violence. The results also may not reflect women’s experience of violence in other provinces of the Solomon Islands or in rural areas.…”

“…Increased understanding of women’s experiences and the subsequent impact of gender-based violence can assist in developing policies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Ways to improve reporting of gender-based violence in the Solomon Islands may include improved communication of support services available,17 and improved collaboration between police and healthcare providers, as many victims of gender-based violence present for medical care with suspicious injuries.…”

“…Future research could investigate the impact of implementation of training for judges regarding the Family Protection Act in the justice system, the support available for women to report and be protected from gender-based violence,17 impact of gender-based violence on children in the Solomons, what coping mechanisms are used, how women view their place in society in a country where contraception use is commonly opposed by male partners43 and relationship intimacy is often forced 28. Additionally, this study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and during the pandemic, domestic violence increased worldwide44 and especially in pregnancy,29 and further work could examine the incidence of gender-based violence postpandemic in the Solomon Islands 8…”