Transcript
The chair of Women Against Crime and Corruption in Vanuatu Jenny Ligo is angry at the light sentence handed out to three men who assaulted a woman.
Three men stripped the woman, groped her, beat her and dragged her across the ground because she refused to marry one of them.
They received a sentence of 200 hours community service and were ordered to pay US$270 each.
Jenny Ligo told Lucy Smith that violence towards women is increasing in Vanuatu and something needs to be done.
JENNY LIGO: It's very distressing when I look at it, it shows that Vanuatu men are still living in the stone age times. Especially when you look at the actions of the three men. We are talking about violence against women and we know that the number in Vanuatu is always increasing and it's never reduced. This type of action most of us will not tolerate it. The way they are handling the case is looking as though it's not that serious. Like 200 hours and 30 thousand vatu fine? We are talking about the life of a person.
LUCY SMITH: Do you think those sentences are fair considering the crime that occurred that day?
JL: If I was a judge they would be behind bars, why do they give them 200 hours community service ?
LS: Do you think there's been enough done to protect women and to grow the amount of people who understand that violence against women is not OK?
JL: In Vanuatu we need a lot more. When you look at the statistics the violence never reduced. Vanuatu men continue to take advantage of the mentality that men are in charge of their wives. So this is something that is still wrong in Vanuatu.
LS: Within the community whats the general consensus on this case?
JL: People always try to respect the decision of the chiefs. If the chiefs make a decision they agree to it, they will always do that but in this case it is already a crime. I will say that the chiefs are wrong.
