American Samoa Government Domestic Violence Proclamation

LOLO M. MOLIGA             LEMANU P. MAUGA GOVERNOR        LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
American Samoa Government
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH (DVAM)
OCTOBER 2020WHEREAS, domestic violence destroys communities, relationships, and lives, and shatters the bedrock of our society -the family. Homes should be places of comfort and stability where love and mutual respect thrive. Domestic violence erodes our environment leaving many of our community in potentially life-threatening situations. It weakens our families, our villages, our community; and
WHEREAS, the experience of domestic violence is described as one unique to the context of additional oppressions based on race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, type of labor performed, level of education, class position, immigration/refugee status or disability. Still, women make up a disproportionately higher number of victims of domestic violence, with nearly half of female homicide victims killed by a current or former male partner; and
WHEREAS, for every five (5) Samoan women, three (3) are being physically abused. Physical and sexual violence experienced by Pacific Island women and girls are higher than any other region in the world. Nearly I in 7 men, and 1 out of every 10 teenagers have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, it is a public health, social justice, and human rights issue not to be ignored. Interventions require assistance at all levels to assist those who have suffered from domestic violence, and help survivors rebuild safe, stable, and self-sufficient lives; and
WHEREAS,, as a community, we must resolve to have zero tolerance for acts of domestic violence. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to empowering survivors and ending this deeply destructive abuse; and
WHEREAS, October 2020 is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the theme “It’s On US” urges our community to stand up against violence and be active participants. ‘It’s on Us’ means we accept responsibility to help support those affected by violence and to be part of healing. We all have a duty to speak out against these to make every effort to prevent such tragedies from occurring. ‘It’s on us· means to elevate conversations by creating powerful voices to make a change; and
WHEREAS, this month we strengthen our resolve to ensure homes are places ofrefuge, comfort, and protection - and not of fear and abuse. We renew our commitment to support and protect victims. Together, we can ensure those who have suffered at the hands of abusers receive needed care and support, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect potential victims from future abuse; and
WHEREAS, the AMERICAN SAMOA ALLIANCE AGAINST DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE recognizes that more work remains until every individual is able to live free from fear. “It’s on Us” to prevent domestic violence, and strive to eliminate all its horrific forms in order to sustain the hope of a better life for victims and to foster safer homes and relationships for everyone.
NOW THEREFORE, I, LOLO MAT ALASI MOLIGA, THEREFORE, I, LOLO MATALASI MOLIGA, Governor of the Territory of American Samoa, by virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim October 2020 as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” and endorse the commitment to ending Domestic or Family Violence in the community. I call upon all citizens of the Territory of American Samoa to stand firm in condemning domestic violence and supporting survivors of these crimes in finding the safety and recovery they need; and to support, recognize, and trust in the efforts of law enforcement, public health and service providers to hold perpetrators accountable, protect victims of crime and their communities, and prevent future violence. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my signature on this 16th day of  September, in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty.
Masina Mo Le Fa’alauiloaina o Sauaga Fa’alotoifale Oketopa 2020TALUAI, o sauaga fa’alotoifale e fa’aleagaina nu’u ma afio’aga, mafutaga, ma ola o tagata, ma talepeina le fa’avae o mea uma -le ‘aiga. O ‘aiga e tatau ona avea ma nofoaga o le mafanafana ma le mautu, ma olaola ai le alofa ma le fefa’aaloaloai. O sauaga fa’ alotoifale e fa’ aleagaina ai le tatou si’ osi ‘omaga ma o’ o atu ai i ni tulaga e ono lamatia ai le soifua o tagata nu’u i nu’u ma afio’aga.
E fa’ato’ilalo ai o tatou ‘aiga, tatou nu’u ma afio’aga; ma
TALUAI, o le a’afia ai o se tasi i sauaga fa’alotoifale, ua fa’arnatalaina o se tasi tulaga uiga ‘ese mai nisi sauaga fa’aopoopo e fa’avae mai i ituaiga tagata, tagatanu·u, tausaga, itupil, ituaiga galuega o loo galueina, maualuga o a’oa’oga, vasega o le tamaoaiga, tulaga tau nofo mau, sulufa”i po o lei ai o ni rnana’oga fa’apitoa. Peita’i o loo maualuga pea le numera o tama’ ita’ i o loo a’ afia i sauaga fa’ alotoifale, ma e latalata i le afa o tama’ita’i ua maliliu i le solitulafono o le fasioti tagata, na fasiotia e se ali’i o loo fai ma ana pa’aga i le taimi na maliu ai, pe na avea ma ana pa·aga i se taimi ua te’a; ma
TALUAI, mai le lima (5) o tama’ita’i Samoa, e toa tolu (3) o loo sauaina fa”aletino. Mai vaega uma o le lalolagi, o le atu pasefika e maualuga ai lava ona numera ile a ’afiaga o tina ma tam a’ ita’ i i sauaga fa’ aletino ma sauaga fa· afeusua · iga. E latalata i le tasi (1)mai le fitu (7) ali’i, ma e tasi (]) mai le sefulu (10) o tupulaga talavou ua a·afia i sauaga fa’aletino matuia ma sauaina e se o loo avea ma pa’aga i lo latou olaga; ma
TALUAI, o se mata’upu tau i le soifua fa’alaua’itele, fa’amasinoga amiotonu, ma aia tatau a le tagata e le tatau ona le amanaiaina. O le fa’auilavea e mana’omia ai le fesoasoani i tulaga uma e mafai ai ona fesoasoani mo i latou ua puapuagatia mai sauaga fa’alotoifale, ma fesoasoani ia i latou ua sao mai i sauaga ina ia toe fausia ni olaga saogalemu, mautu, ma le mafai ona fa’alagolago le tagata ia te ia lava; ma
TALUAI, i le avea ai ma nu·u ma afio’aga, e tatau ona tatou faia se fa’ai’uga ina ia leai se fa’apalepale po o se taliaina o faiga o sauaga fa’alotoifale. I lenei masina e fa’atupula’ia ai le malamalama i sauaga fa’alotoifale, tatou te toe fa’amautu ma fa’amausali ai le tatou ta’utinoga tumau i le fa’amalosi’au mo i latou ua sao mai sauaga ma fa’amutaina ai nei sauaga matuia; ma
TALUAI,  o Oketopa 2020, o le masina e fa’atupula’ia ai le tatou malamalama ma le silafia e fa’atatau i sauaga fa’alotoifale ma o le manulaufi o le “E i luga o tatou” o lo o talosagaina ai o tatou nu·u ma afio’aga ina ia tutula’i e tete’e atu i sauaga ma ·auai i taumafaiga uma e tineia ai sauaga. ‘E i luga o tatou’ o Iona uiga tatou te taliaina le matafaioi o le lagolagoina o i latou ua afaina i
sauaga, ma avea i tatou ma se vaega o le fa’amalologa. E tofu uma tatou ma tiute e tautala fa’asaga i nei soligatulafono ma faia taumafaiga uma ina ia taofia ai nei fa’ alavelave mai le tupu pea.
·’E i luga o tatou’ le faatupula’ia o talanoaga e ala i le fausiaina o si’ufofoga mamana e faia se suiga; ma
TALUAI, i lenei masina, tatou te fa·amalosia ai o tatou fa·ai·uga ia fa·amautinoa o ‘aiga o ni nofoaga o le sulufa’iga, mafanafana, ma puipuiga - ae le o le fefe ma le saua. E fa’afouina le tatou ta’utinoga ina ia lagolago ma puipui i latou ua a’afia i sauaga. Mo i latou ua sauaina, e mafai ona tatou galulue fa’atasi ina ia mautinoa latou te maua se tausiga ma le lagolago o lo o mana’omia, ma taofia ma tali i moliga i latou ua molia i le tulafono, ma puipuia i latou e ono afaina i sauaga i le lumana’i; ma
TALUAI, e malamalama LE MAU A AMERIKA SAMOA E TETE’E ATU I SAUAGA FA’ALOTOIFALE MA SAUAGA FA’AFEUSUA’IGA, e fa’atumauina pea le tele le galuega se’i vagana ua
mafai e tagata uma ona ola sa’oloto mai i le fefe. “E i luga ia i tatou” le taofia o sauaga fa’alotoifale, ma taumafai ina ia ave’esea uma foliga mataga ina ia mafai ai ona fa’atumauina le fa’amoemoe mo se olaga sili atu se lelei mo i latou ua a’afia i sauaga ma tausi ma fa’afailele ai ‘aiga saogalemu ma mafutaga po o so’otaga mo tagata uma.
O LEA, IA FA’AMAUINA, O A’U O LOLO MATALASI MOLIGA, Kovana o le Teritori o Amerika Samoa, e tusa ma le pule ua tu’uina mai ia te a’u, ua ‘ou poloa’iina ai le masina o Oketopa 2020, o le “Masina Mo Le Fa’alauiloaina o Sauaga Fa’alotoifale” ma fa’amaonia le ta’utinoga ina ia fa’amutaina sauaga fa’alotoifale po o sauaga o aiga i nu’u uma ma afio’aga. Ou te vala’au atu i tagatanu’u uma o le teritori o Amerika Samoa ia tutu malosi i le fa’ato · ilaloina o sauaga fa· alotoifale ma lagolagoina i latou ua sao mai i nei solitulafono, e ala lea i le sa’iliina o le saogalernu ma le toe maua o le malosi o lo o latou man a· omia; ma ia lagolagoina, iloa, ma talitonu i taumafaiga a i latou e fa· amalosia le tulafono, fesoasoani i le tausiga o le soifua maloloina o le lautele, ma i latou o lo o avatua se ‘au’aunaga mo i latou ua a’afia i sauaga, ina ia taofia ma tali i o latou moli’aga i latou o lo o solitulafono, puipuiina i latou ua faia i ai nei solitulafono ma o latou nu’u ma afio’aga, ma puipuia mai nisi sauaga i le lumana’i.
I LE MOLIMAUINA AI, o lea ua ‘ou fa’amauina i lo’u sainia i le aso 16 lenei o Setema, i le tausaga o lo tatou Ali’i, lua afe luasefulu.
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LOLO M. MOLIGA
Governor of American Samoa
This ad paid by The Family Violence Prevention & Services Act (FVPSA) Award #2201 ASSDVC​