It is widely acknowledged that without a centralized coordinated approach then strategies and activities across Government sectors and among NGOs and other service providers will not be able to adequately address a problem with such widespread interlinked root causes as family violence. Comprehensive national coverage of awareness, education and services has to be achieved. In Samoa far too many services are only available to those within the Apia area. Family violence occurs in every village across all four inhabited islands. Only a nationally coordinated initiative can ensure comprehensive coverage and access to all. Data collection has been identified by the Inquiry as an area of weakness and consequently preventing an effective strategic approach to family violence. A centralized national initiative could establish national indicators and work in collaboration with the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS) to ensure effective, continual and consistent data collection by which progress can be measured and effective strategies implemented to address family violence. 12.3 The Disaster Management Office Model The benefits of a national initiative to address family violence are compelling but what would that look like in practice? And what would work within the context of Samoa if the political will was there? A radical new approach may be required but that brings the risk it may not be suitable for the Samoan context, unless it has been tried elsewhere first. “The Disaster Management Office (model) has worked. Why can we not use it for family violence? It’s a locally driven response.” Leautuliilagi Vanessa Barlow-Schuster, consultant and lawyer, Inquiry public hearings Inquiry Info Point 18: What is the Disaster Management Office? The Disaster Management Office (DMO) was established by the Disaster and Emergency Management Act 2007, an Act to:2 “provide for the management of disasters and emergencies by effective planning and risk reduction, response and recovery procedures and the promotion and coordination amongst the response agencies, and for related purposes.” The Act provides for the establishment of a National Disaster Management Plan and sets out what it should contain. This plan is the guiding document for all disaster and emergency risk reduction, preparedness and recovery activities across all agencies and actors. The structure established by the Act is as follows:  2 National Disaster Council: consists of the PM and Ministers, who review all recommendations and advice given by the Disaster Advisory Disaster and Emergency Management Act 2007, Long title.