Children can report domestic violence to the police - Akbar

If you hit your children, we have the powers to take your child away.

These were the words Minister for Women and Children Rosy Akbar while declaring Bangladesh Settlement in Tavua a Zero Tolerance Violence Free Community.

Akbar says domestic violence is no longer a private matter and children can report domestic violence to the police.

Akbar says it is not their job to separate families however they want to ensure that people live peacefully with their families.

She says declaring a community as zero tolerant means that people commit to solving their problems in any other way than violence.

The Minister says 87 communities have already been declared violence free but they still see violence taking place in these communities.

Meanwhile the women of the settlement were also encouraged to invest in their own business and were asked to contact their Women’s district officers with their requests.