doubt that this is a critical issue of public concern, a widespread violation of human rights and a threat to the Fa’asamoa and Faith. “Bullying is not just a relation between bully and victim. It’s really a three-way relation, between bully, victim and everyone who refuses to do anything about aggression.”11 A firm characteristic of family violence in this country is the veil of silence it hides behind, that is only slowly being lifted. This veil of silence is woven from a variety of threads, not least the fear of bringing shame upon one’s family if a victim decides to speak out. It is widely acknowledged that reported cases of family violence are only ever the tip of the iceberg. This is especially true of Samoa where the Fa’asamoa creates an added layer of pressure against reporting. Recent figures show that only 11% of victims of family violence reported the abuse they had experienced,12 and if it is not reported it is allowed to flourish. One of the biggest barriers Samoa therefore has to overcome is the barrier to reporting family violence and this will be a major focus of the Report. Family violence is not a unique problem to Samoa. It is a major concern for almost every country worldwide and few countries would claim to have it under control. However, prevalence rates in the Pacific do appear to be higher and an understanding of why that it must be arrived at before proposed solutions can be implemented effectively. Awareness of family violence has now grown to such a point that 85% of Inquiry survey respondents across Samoa believe it to be an issue that should be addressed as a priority. It is this consensus which provides the mandate for change, to which Samoa’s political, traditional and religious leaders should take heed. We must also take note that while an overwhelming majority (85%) wishes for family violence to be addressed as a priority, there was an obvious lack of understanding among those people of the underlying causes of violence, with many women blaming themselves for acts of violence towards themselves and their children. This would suggest that Samoa is now in a situation where awareness raising efforts to date have succeeded in generating support for change. However, it has yet to succeed in making people understand the real reason why such violence occurs. The Report aims to comprehensively assess the causes of family violence in Samoa and contributes to strengthen Samoa’s understanding that is required to effectively address the problem. 6.2 Samoan law and family violence 6.2.1 Traditional protection mechanisms “A malu i fale, e malu i fafo.” (If you are safe in your home, you should also feel safe in the community). 11 Refer to “You should have been more careful: when doctors shame rape survivors.” Guardian. (15 October 2017). Document 55 Inquiry anthology, accessible at www.ombudsman.gov.ws. 12 Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development. (2017). Samoa Family Safety Study. Document 46 Inquiry anthology, accessible at www.ombudsman.gov.ws.