The state of domestic violence in Samoa and American Samoa.

Abstract

This report summarizes the findings of 33 key informant interviews: 15 with individuals living in American Samoa (AS), and 18 living in the country of Samoa (S). These interviews were conducted as part of a 6-month inquiry by the Alliance to assess the differences and similarities in the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs amongst the Samoans in each country concerning domestic violence (DV) - a term which has become a defining variance between the two groups of informants. The premise guiding this project is that the people of Samoa are more aware of DV, more committed to, and more organized in their response to DV, compared to the people of American Samoa, as evidenced by the prevalence of media and awareness programs available in Samoa. To assess the hypothesis the project is designed to achieve three tasks using qualitative inquiry: 1. To evaluate ‘awareness’ of DV in the Samoa’s the project includes an examination of advocacy, media, and population- based survey results between 1992 and 2017. 2. To gauge ‘commitment’ the project aims to describe and compare perceptions, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and experiences in DV amongst a group of key informants in each of the Samoa’s, and correlate these elements with how DV issues are prioritized, and resolved. 3. To assess ‘organization’ the project will describe the process of handling DV in each of the Samoa’s to compare and contrast political, judicial, faith-based, and cultural protocols relevant to DV issues. Key informants provide insight from a range of perspectives, including different genders, ethnicity, age, et cetera. They were asked to draw on their own understanding and experience, and to reflect on the understandings and experiences of others in their private and professional lives. Thus, these interviews provide an intimate view of the actual versus intended relationship between fa’aSamoa, society, and the behavior of Samoan people in terms of DV. The key informant interviews are one of three data collection methods in the project, which also includes a literature review and focus groups discussed in a separate report. The literature is discussed in this report to provide the context and historical evolvement of DV issues in both Samoa’s.