This is yet another consequence of the Government’s lack of commitment to addressing family violence, and in not providing sufficient resources to effectively monitor the effectiveness of village representatives there is a lack of accountability and ineffectiveness. Furthermore, the Government’s policy towards payment of the STN and SN is discriminatory and reinforces the gender hierarchy upon which family violence is premised. Prior to 2014 female village representatives received less salary than afforded to male village representatives. In December 2014, Cabinet endorsed an increase in the fortnightly salary from ST$125 to ST$195, despite male village representatives receiving ST$250.76 In the Government’s submission to the UN CEDAW Committee in 2017, it summarized this as “a positive reflection of how serious the Government is in terms of applying gender equality and supporting achievement of gender parity”. 77 The Inquiry agrees with this sentiment but not in the way it was intended. If the Government was indeed serious about gender equality it would have raised the salary level equal to that paid to the male representatives. In failing to do so they sent a clear message that they endorse gender inequality and accept the culture of violence that accompanies it. INQUIRY FINDING 28: The Governments lack of commitment and approach through inadequate allocation of resources, support and lack of coordination sends to people a message that gender inequality and family violence is acceptable. 8.3 Village Fono The role of the Village Fono is to ensure peace and harmony and the development of the village. 78 Time and time again the Inquiry heard matais claim that there are no instances of family violence happening in their village. “In my village there are no cases of violence as the Village Fono is doing its job.” Matai participant, Inquiry public hearings At one point during the public hearings another matai addressed the Inquiry and stated with absolute confidence that there were zero cases of family violence within his village. The very next witness countered that and stated this was untrue and that her daughter previously lived in that village until her husband knocked her teeth out and prevented her from going back. This raises two worrying points. The first is that matais are a big part of the problem by either being complicit in denying the existence of violence or directly involved as a perpetrator. The SFHSS 2000 showed that 35% of perpetrators of 76 Confirmed to the Inquiry by the Internal Affairs Division, MWCSD. (Email correspondence). 20 March 2018. Government of Samoa. (2017). Sixth Periodic State Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. CEDAW/C/WSM/6. Document 90 Inquiry anthology. 78 Refer to Village Fono Act 1990. 77