A photo of a man in his 20s with a severely bruised torso has caused a stir in the Tongan online community.
The photograph showing the multiple cuts and bruises led some online users to speculate that they were the result of an assault.
Some people, however, thought that the man from Houma, Tongatapu was drunk before he suffered the injuries.
Kaniva News was unable to confirm the authenticity of the photo.
It has been widely shared on social media, with one group attracting 240 reactions and 60 shares.
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The argument over the photo has drawn strong attention to the spike in crime rate, with some saying the situation has gotten out of hand.
However, there was also concern about the prevalence of domestic violence in Tonga.
Recent reports from the kingdom’s Women and Children Crisis Centre show that, in many domestic violence cases, the perpetrator is a drug user or trafficker, with the centre’s director, ‘Ofa Guttenbeil-Likikiliki, reportedly saying the severity of the violence in the cases was horrific.
The photo has drawn mixed reaction from the online users.
“There is a saying ko e ‘ātunga pe ‘ena ia e konaa’”, a commenter said in Tongan, referring to the saying that “If you drink alcohol, you should be prepared for any troubles that may arise.”.
Some advised the man to change his way of life and attend church activities.
Some sympathised and told commenters to put their shoes in his situation.
“This is a learning experience for the brother”.
Another commenter stated that it is unwise to beat someone and that it should not be condoned.
