16.2 Financial Pressures INQUIRY FINDING 44: The practice of fa’alavelave has lost its original meaning, become competitive and puts undue financial stress on families which can act as a trigger for family violence, increasing its prevalence nationally. Financial penalties and banishments imposed by Village Fonos are also having the same effect. INQUIRY FINDING 45: Church contributions are spiraling out of control through competitiveness and a failure of churches to control amounts, leading to undue financial pressures which in turn trigger greater prevalence of family violence in Samoa. The potential effects of empowering families financially are considerable in relation to addressing family violence and include:60      Reductions in physical violence towards children by parents or other caregivers; Reductions in IPV; Reductions in children witnessing IPV in the homes; Reduction in early marriage of young girls; Increases in social norms and attitudes that disapprove of IPV. Not only does financial empowerment prevent family violence in the ways described above but it also protects victims and enables them to escape from abusive environments. Recall Destiny’s survival61 where her husband was so violent he had raped her with a pair of scissors at her throat. She was supported financially by her employer in order to leave and of that act concludes, “I owe her my freedom”. Financial empowerment therefore not only reduces the prevalence of violence but it helps to break the cycle as well. The Inquiry found two areas where undue financial pressures are being created by fa’alavelave and church contributions. It is therefore within the power of the Village Fonos and the Church to directly reduce the risk of family violence caused by increased financial pressures by addressing these issues, of which there has been plenty of debate already but little action. However, to continue the status quo would mean that both of these institutions disregard the consequences that victims of violence suffer. The Inquiry has already made a recommendation for church obligations to be limited in the future (Recommendation 21) and the same must be done for fa’alavelave. It is the responsibility of the Village Fono to introduce limitations within their own community based on 60 World Health Organisation. (2016). INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children. Document 48 Inquiry anthology. 61 Case Study 13.