Eteuati is now a proud grandfather and says that facing up to his personality and himself was the ‘scariest thing to do’. The case of Eteuati Ete and Hope’s story brings into sharp relief the fact that IPV can happen in any relationship, it does not matter who the couple are, how rich or poor they are, how well educated they are or how happy they appear to the outside world. Case Study 15: Talia’s* shotgun hell27 Talia is a 50 year old mother of six children. One early morning, she felt like she was still dreaming and had something pointed at her forehead. When she opened her eyes, the muzzle of the shotgun was placed on her forehead by her drunken husband. Why? She had disobeyed his orders not to go to church with their children the previous evening. She fled with her children and when he couldn’t find her, started to burn all of their possessions. Talia walked in desperation all the way to the police post in the next village but they would not help as they were too scared to intervene. They told her to wait until he calmed down. *Names changed to protect the identities of those involved. Disobedience is a cover for the real reasons for any violence within a relationship – power and control. Reflect on this situation – Talia’s husband POINTED A SHOTGUN AT HER FOR TAKING HER CHILDREN TO CHURCH. The actions of her husband were mainly driven by the need to control Talia. Who could reasonably argue that taking your children to church is even worthy of an argument? And never is it acceptable to point a shotgun at anyone, let alone your wife and let alone for the inconsequential matter of taking your children to church. Case Study 16: Losa’s* path to speaking out Losa is a nofotane with 11 children. She has been subjected to violence and emotional abuse from her first child to her last. Her husband got angry and beat her all the time and over the smallest things – commitments, the children, all of it an excuse to take it out on her. “He is also a very jealous man and if I take too long to go to the shops he would get very angry.” 27 Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development. (2017). Samoa Family Safety Study. Document 46 in Inquiry anthology, accessible at www.ombudsman.gov.ws.