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Decreasing gender-based violence is now firmly on the agenda of Pacific Island countries. This presentation focuses on Tuvalu, a multi-island Polynesian country. Previous research has documented limited participation of Tuvaluan women in decision-making roles, a degree of community acceptance of domestic violence, and patriarchal systems that result in limited access to justice for women. Drawing from a larger mixed-methods project, this study aimed to obtain Tuvaluan community members’ and police officers’ perceptions of how police can best contribute to addressing domestic violence. Community members (n = 69) and police officers (n = 17) from each island of Tuvalu engaged in interviews. Findings suggest that police officers recognise, and community members are open to, an important place for police in addressing domestic violence.This role is seen to include holding workshops to inform the community of relevant laws. However, participants’ accounts highlight various impediments to effective policing practices. The presentation discusses the nuanced and contextual challenges faced by police in their efforts to curb family violence in Tuvalu. It concludes with implications for practice and further research.

Item Type:	Conference Extract
Keywords:	interpreters, family violence, guidelines, practice
Research Division:	Studies in Human Society
Research Group:	Criminology
Research Field:	Police Administration, Procedures and Practice
Objective Division:	Law, Politics and Community Services
Objective Group:	Justice and the Law
Objective Field:	Law Enforcement
UTAS Author:	Howes, LM (Dr Loene Howes)
ID Code:	136399
Year Published:	2019
Deposited By:	Office of the School of Social Sciences
Deposited On:	2019-12-18
Last Modified:	2020-02-13
Downloads:	0