More measures against rape needed in Vanuatu

Transcript

Vanuatu Women Against Crime says the government is failing to protect victims of crime as the numbers of rapes and murders across the country continue to climb.

Its chair, Jenny Ligo, says the government put measures into place to protect victims in 2008, but they are largely unenforced and have been ineffective.

She says there are up to three reported rapes a week in Vanuatu, and women are forced to carry knives to protect themselves.

Ms Ligo says her group is supportive of the Minister for Justice, Alfred Carlot, who has recently said he wants tougher laws against murder and rape.

But she told Mary Baines it is not just about changing the law, and is calling for an urgent forum of government leaders, chiefs, church leaders and civil society groups to discuss why the crime rate is so high.

JENNY LIGO: There was some measures taken by the government but it hasn't really made a big impact because nobody has taken the law seriously, especially the law enforcement. Our group is calling because we feel that nobody is talking about crime prevention. And at the moment, from the police statistics, it looks like there's one to three rapes in a week in Vanuatu. Those are the numbers we know but just imagine how many are out there in the rural areas, they are not reported.

MARY BAINES: So what would you like to see done?

JL: We want to see when a rape case goes to court, if it says that imprisonment is 20 years, let it be 20 years.

MB: And you've also called for practical steps like neighbourhood watches and more police officers on the streets?

JL: We have come to realise that we have to find the resources and we have to try and mobilise in not only Port Vila but in the islands also. We want to have two forums, one in Luganville and one in forum. This is relation because the Minister of Justice, the current minister, has come out publicly and said he wants tougher laws against murders and rapists. And this is where we want to stand with him and we want to try and find out solutions - what is wrong that we continue to have all these rapists, all these murderers. We are not talking about only the victims, but what is wrong with the criminals, what is wrong with the system?

MB: Many women in Vanuatu do carry knives to protect themselves. Has women carrying weaponry increased recently?

JL: Women these days, they will find anything that will help them to protect themselves. In Vanuatu, in some areas, will not walk by themselves in the night and even in the day they won't be able to walk alone. This is not something that many women will want to do, whether it is a knife or something else, it is a security to that person.