Tonga Police has issued a fresh public alert on domestic violence, posting a new advisory to its official Facebook page today, urging families to recognise the seriousness of violence within the home and to report incidents early.
The notice, titled “Domestic Violence Is a Crime,” reinforces that abuse of any form remains a prosecutable offence and stresses the need for collective community action to keep families safe.
The advisory outlines six key forms of domestic violence: physical assault, verbal and emotional abuse, threats and intimidation, sexual abuse, financial control or deprivation, and damage to property. Police reiterated their zero‑tolerance stance, promising firm action against offenders and prioritising the protection of victims.
The public message comes at a critical time, following the release of new data that paints a stark picture of the scale of violence occurring in Tongan homes.
According to the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC), findings from Tonga’s 2024 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) reveal that 86.1% of children aged 1–14 experienced physical punishment and/or psychological aggression from household members within the previous month.
Meanwhile, 33.68% of women aged 15–49 reported suffering physical, sexual, or psychological violence from an intimate partner in the past year.
WCCC says these figures expose not only widespread abuse but deeply rooted attitudes that continue to normalise violence. The survey found 23.6% of women and 14.5% of men believe a husband is justified in beating his wife under certain circumstances. Overall, 38.1% of respondents agree it is acceptable to beat a woman in some situations.
“These are not just statistics – they are reflections of daily pain and fear endured by our women and children,” said WCCC Monitoring & Evaluation Advocate Soana Pongi.
The Police advisory, posted just hours after the WCCC statement, includes practical guidance for those needing help. Members of the public are urged to report incidents immediately to 922, reach out to trusted family or community leaders, and take action early to prevent further harm.
Police say they issued today’s reminder because many cases remain unreported, and the harm caused—especially to children—can have long‑lasting effects on wellbeing and relationships. The advisory reinforces the national message: “Safe Homes. Safe Communities. Safe Tonga.”
With both law enforcement and frontline advocates calling attention to the escalating problem, authorities are urging the public to take domestic violence seriously and to support efforts to break what they describe as a cycle of silence, fear, and generational trauma.
