Written by:  Jennifer F Tofaeono, Ex Director
​I believe now more than ever we need more people to be advocates. An advocate is simply a champion, a supporter, they help to inspire or promote change. They aid people who feel they aren’t heard, or do not have access to necessary information or services, and today we need more advocates.
With the increase in prices and the difficulty of families to make ends meet, we will continue to see an influx in domestic and sexual violence in American Samoa.  Statistics continue to display that stress, those that are related to socioeconomic stress connected to poverty, unemployment and inadequate social resources will increase domestic violence in a community. When you couple this with increased substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) the problem becomes exponential.  We are witness to this every day thru the Samoa News Stories.  The news is littered with reports of domestic disputes, and it does not seem that there is an easy fix.
For this reason, it is critical to know who you can turn to for help if you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence.  Public Safety Department, also known as the American Samoa Territorial Police, is the police law agency for American Samoa, and was created to protect the lives and property of American Samoa citizens.  Department of Human and Social Services helps to “improve the lives” of those in our community and offers support based on behavioral health, childcare, substance abuse, etc. We also have local organizations who are advocates, such as Catholic Social Services, American Samoa Legal Aid, and Back on Track, who’s primary role is to aid with those in need. 
When searching for an advocate make sure that you establish good relationships, as they have created strong partners, and understand the needs of victims.  An advocate do their work with patience and perseverance to help victims of domestic and sexual violence.  Victim advocates work to aid victims to ensure they are safe, and work towards resiliency for the victim.  You can find advocates in all different places, some can be found on campus, and in healthcare systems, as well as in law enforcement.  It’s important to ask for an advocate when you are seeking help.  

Written by:  Terry Tofaeono, PROVISION 
​
Domestic violence can cause trauma and stress that is very common in our islands of American Samoa. Because victims do not always report their traumatic experiences, domestic violence in our villages and homes is often ignored.

Abuse comes in various forms and affects people of different walks within our communities, and the violence can be passed down from generation to generation. Some Samoans are taught that children are not to be spoiled, so the saying, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” can be taken past the boundaries of discipline and into the realm of physical abuse. This physical abuse may affect its victims for the rest of their lives.

Sexual abuse is another form of domestic violence that is polluting our homes and families. The majority of sexual abuse cases in American Samoa are perpetrated by relatives of the victims, and  when the victim reports the crime to their family, too many times the victim is silenced by the people who should be protecting them. This also brings on trauma that affects the victims all of their lives.

There are many other forms of domestic violence, but just these two types (physical and sexual abuse), have been running rampant in our communities for far too long, and victims are experiencing physical and mental health symptoms as a result.

Too many young people on our islands suffer from depression, bitterness and resentment, anger leading to fits of rage, substance abuse and alcoholism, and suicidal thoughts. Some of our young men are able to escape the abuse by going to college and playing football. Other young people (male and female) are able to get away by joining the military. However, the effects of the trauma typically follow where ever the victim goes.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an outcome of domestic violence that is not considered as much as it should be. Our children who go off island to play football or join the military, come home after years of service suffering from PTSD. I believe that they are already suffering from PTSD before they leave the islands and when they return, the trauma they experience playing football or serving in the military just adds to, or compounds, the issue.

Symptoms of PTSD are not always easy to spot, but an article in Beaufort Memorial (bmhsc.org/blog/the-connection-between-domestic-violence-and-ptsd) points out three overarching categories of PTSD as well as some effects:

1. Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of “triggers” of the traumatic even, such as people, places, thoughts or events.
2. Arousal and reactivity: Sudden inexplicable anger, outbursts, difficulty being reached emotionally, feeling numb, trouble sleeping and startling easily.
3. Reliving the event: Being confronted by the emotional trauma of the event suddenly and without an obvious reason, resulting in emotional outbursts, chills, heart palpitations, extreme anxiety and other symptoms.

“Left untreated, PTSD can cause long-term mental health effects, including anger management issues, severe depression and intense loneliness. Additionally, untreated PTSD can increase the likelihood of developing several life-threatening conditions including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and substance abuse disorders.”

If you, or someone you know, is suffering from PTSD as a result of domestic violence, contact The American Samoa Alliance against Domestic and Sexual Violence at 684-699-0272 for more information. You can also reach them by e-mail at asadsv@gmail.com or at their website, asalliance.co.

​Written by:  Jennifer F Tofaeono, Executive Director
The American Samoa Alliance against Domestic & Sexual Violence, “aka Alliance” is the recognized dual coalition in the United States for American Samoa. The common shared values of the US coalitions are to give voice on behalf of the victims, support the work of local members, hold societal systems accountable for the responses to victims, and promote the work to prevent violence.
 Every day our Samoa News newspaper, and on social media we are faced with the serious public concern about domestic and sexual violence.  A Samoa News article stated “Domestic violence cases becoming common incidents—“in 2021, and other articles showing the prevalence of men beating their wives and families members are found every day.
Many times I am posed with the same question, “How can we get the violence to stop?” It’s not an question easily answered.  Every year the Alliance continues to “talk stories” within our community about violence, which helps us to create manuscripts to be used by the community to combat domestic and sexual violence.  Our monthly newsletters expand our reach as we continue to grow in subscriptions.  We work with our local partners to support the work they do that center around domestic and sexual violence, with the purpose to healing communities. The Alliance recognizes the unique needs of our communities, focusing on the Fa’aSamoa and the opportunities provided to improve the work we do, but none of this is done alone. 
It takes families learning about healthy responses and communication.  We experience high stress, particularly today.  The cost of living is exorbitant, as we see the increased cost of fuel, food, power, and water.  We struggle to manage our daily finances, while trying to care for loved ones who are more inclined to have health issues (i.e. diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia, alcohol and anger issues, etc).  Unfortunately, this new pace of intensity of modern life—where information is quickly available, but answers are harder to find, is not likely to change.  Now more than ever, it is important for our community to learn more about resiliency.  When we chose resilient behavior responses, we are better equipped to deal with the difficulties placed in our pathway.  It is a tool that will help us to “bounce back” versus using our fists and words to harm those in our circle. 
The good news is you can learn these traits and develop ways to better cope with today’s pressures.  Every month the Alliance provides Resilience tips.  Follow us here and learn more. 

Reported by Luana Scanlan 
During a pandemic, service providers can redirect social services and psychosocial support through online, phone, social distanced mechanisms. Several tools for communicating safety and reducing fear during pandemics were piloted prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Digital interventions have been confirmed to promote and enable safety behaviors (Decker, et al., 2020).  Virtual interventions have been successfully tested to address gendered burdens and their impact specifically on women (Viveiros, et al., 2020). 
A few surveys indicate that victims prefer guided online support and found web-based interventions ‘supportive and a motivation for action’ (Hegarty, et al., 2019, Jewkes, et al., 2020, Koziol-McLain, et al., 2018). 
The following web-based applications can help victims establish safety:              https://www.myplanapp.org/
myPlan – the app content, interface and implementation can be adapted for use in American Samoa.  A study in Kenya demonstrated its high feasibility, and the acceptability of community-partnered technology-based safety planning interventions like this (Decker, et al, 2020).  MyPlan has a ‘My Safety’ risk assessment section that converts responses to validated levels of exposure to danger. The ‘My Priorities’ section is an interactive visual aid to set priorities for safety – gauging importance between priorities such as privacy, severity of violence, wellbeing of children, social support etc. and emphasizes importance of safety and inclusiveness (Glass, et al., 2015, Decker, et al., 2020). 
iCan Plan 4 Safety – is an online safety and health intervention proven effective in a Canadian study (Ford-Gilboe, et al., 2020). This is an example of a web-based tool that can be created for American Samoa.
https://icanplan4safety.ca/
 
Safer & Stronger Program – is a set of two web-based tools (male and female) for abuse awareness, support and safety planning using videos featuring survivors sharing their experiences. https://saferstronger.research.pdx.edu/solution/safer-stronger/
Where resources are limited, such as in American Samoa where many do not have safe, consistent access to internet, a safe system of alert using low/no tech is a critical need to provide victims with little/no resources entry points to alert advocates of their needs. 
Solutions include adapting existing safe spaces for women into ‘phone booth stations’ accommodating limited seating/gathering guidelines for COVID, ‘no-dial or offline chat’ phone options, service integration in high traffic areas frequented by women like grocery stores, pharmacies, markets; alert chains using objects or code words to signal for help.  To be effective the alert systems should not be widely known beyond survivors at risk and victims. Under the guise of Pandemic messaging, the information can be disseminated to the target audience however there must be always a clear referral pathway to safety.

By: Kathy Fitisone, Alliance Staff
Ms. Marci has just completed her 5th year as a teacher at Tafuna High School.  She teaches English and College Prep for Seniors and Creative Writing as an elective.  Her educational background is in Women’s & Gender Studies and Curriculum & Instruction.  She is also the founder and advisor of Tafuna High School’s Brown Sisters Club.  The BSC was created to inspire, educate, and empower our girls to be leaders within our schools and communities through service to others.
This year was the second school year where the BSC spearheaded the “Girl’s Pantry”, a designated area that makes menstrual products available to the school’s female population and hygiene and grooming products available to all students.  The purchase of the necessary items was made available through donations of family and friends, and an online envelope fundraiser.  According to Ms. Marci, while the initial goal of the Girl’s Pantry was to decrease absenteeism of the female population by having these products readily available, free of charge, to students in need; there have been other goals as well: “An increase in the confidence of our female students, and the positive, constructive dialogues that have taken place, especially by our male students, in regards to menstruation being a natural, biological process.”
Through a partnership with the Alliance, the BSC was able to continue to be of service to the students even though the island has been on lockdown since February due to COVID-19.  According to Ms. Marci, “I initially approached the Alliance last October, wanting to partner on the Girl’s Pantry and educational outreaches on teen domestic violence and dating violence.  Given the busy schedules of both teaching and Alliance work, we were not able to re-connect until early February and then we were hit with COVID-19.  So once, again it looked like we would have to put our project on the back burner, but we came up with the idea of using the items that were graciously provided by the Alliance and other donors to create PowHer Packs for our students to stop by the school and pick up if needed.”  Through the PowHer Pack Project 90 – 100 girls were assisted during the COVID restrictions.
According to one female student, “These PowHer Packs are necessary for the girls.  The items are important and I wish girls from other schools had these resources too.  The Pantry has saved me multiple times when I had my period or when I needed hygiene products.  I’m thankful that we have this on campus.  I don’t have to worry about having to go home if I suddenly get my period.”
A male student offered, “I always see the girls use the Pantry, and I’m glad we can use the deodorant and other stuff too.”
Lastly, from Ms. Marci herself, “The Pantry has been such an important resource for the students on campus, especially our girls, and the PowHer Pack have been a positive reinforcement during these long, often lonely challenging times of COVID-19 that we are all still here for each other.  We have changed the conversation about hygiene and periods on campus.  It used to be a taboo topic and something that most girls would be embarrassed about.  To use a powerful phrase coined by the Alliance, it’s totally different now, ‘we have reformed the norm’, if you will.”

Tusia:  Judy Mata’utia
 
O tagata matutua i nei ona po ua sili atu ona vaaia tele i mea fai, sili atu le malolosi ma sili atu le tuto’atasi nai lo se isi lava taimi muamua.  Ua umi ona soifua ma ua sili atu le soifua maloloina fo’i.  Ae a’o tuputupu a’e le faitau aofa’i o tagata matutua, e faapea fo’i le faafitauli natia o le sauaina o tagata matutua, faaaogaina ma le tu’ulafoa’i.
O lo’o matua lamatia lava le tulaga lelei o le olaga o tagata matutua o lo’o a’afia i sauaga,  ona e masani ona latou o’o i le tulaga faaletonu o le gaioi, o mea tau tupe, ma faatupulaia ai le ola faalagolago i isi tagata, faaletonu le soifua maloloina, lagonaina le leai o se fesoasoani aemaise foi le tu’ulafoa’i ma le faateleina fo’i o mafatiaga faale-mafaufau.  I nisi o suesuega e taua ai o tagata matutua ua sauaina e tele ona maliliu muamua nai lo i latou e le’o sauaina, tusa lava pe leai ni ma’i masani na iai pe lamatia ai fo’i le soifua, ma e le tasi se ituaiga sauaga e sauaina ai tagata matutua. 
Ae o le a la le uiga o le faatamala ma le tu’ulafoa’iina o tagata matutua?  O ia faiga e aofia ai faiga le talafeagai aemaise lava i le tausiga o tagata matutua, po’o le le mafai e le o lo’o avea ma ona matafaioi le tausiga o tagata matutua, ona faataunuuina manaoga o tagata matutua, pei o le musu po’o le le mana’o e avatu se meaai, vai, faia lelei laei, faanofo i se nofoaga lelei, faataele ma tumama, tausia inumaga o fualaau o lo’o faatonuina mai e le foma’i, malu puipuia ma saogalemu, ma nisi lava tulaga taua e manaomia e le tagata matua, lea ua malilie ai e faataunuuina e le e tausia tagata matutua.   O le tu’ulafoa’i fo’i e mafai ona tula’i mai pe a le lelei ona puipuia le tagata matua mai tulaga e ono manu’a ai, pe lamatia ai lona soifua ma o’o atu ai i ni manuaga ogaoga pe matuia.  I tulaga faapea, e le mafai ai ona taua o se faalavelave faafuase’i, ae o se mea ua tupu e mafua mai ona o le faatamala po o le leai o se manatu tele i le soifua manuia o le tagata matua.  O le tuulafoa’i ma le faatamala e ogaoga ma matuia nei faiga e pei lava o nisi ituaiga sauaga. 
O tagata Samoa o ni tagata e olaola faatasi, e maua ai le soifua faalauaitele, o le matafaioi a le isi le vaaia o le isi, ma tatou te tauave faatasi lea matafaioi, o tatou aiga, manuia lautele o le nuu ma afioaga faapea ma le atunuu.  E le o tele se talanoa e faatatau i tagata matutua i totonu o tatou nuu ma afioaga faapea fo’i ma o tatou tagata, aemaise o le tatou aganuu.  Le aganuu lava lea e tasi lea e faapea o tagata matutua o penina tautele ma oa, ma o le tausiga o latou o le auala lea o tatou manuia.  I le tumutumuga o le tatou faaSamoa e laualuga ai le faaaloalo, mai lava le tatou laiti, tatou te tuputupu ifo ua tatou iloa le taua o le faaaloalo i so’o se tagata e matua atu ia tatou, aemaise o tatou matua lea o lo’o tausia ma a’oa’oina i tatou, aemaise o le anoanoa’i o le latou faitaulaga mo i latou.  O le faaaloalo foi lea e auala ma feso’ota’i i ai le tautua.  I le tele o tatou tagata Samoa ma o tatou aiga, e i ai le faavae lea e tautuaina e fanau o latou matua, i le olaga atoa, ma e fou nei lava, e le’i faapea i le tuana’i, le ave o tatou matua e tausi e nisi tagata i nofoaga e tausia ai tagata matutua.  I tu ma aga a Samoa, e tausi toatele e le aiga lautele le tagata matua e aunoa ma se fesoasoani mai fafo atu o le aiga, ma e tausi lava i lima o tagata o aiga o latou matua.  Peita’i o na faiga atonu ua sui i nei ona po aemaise lava i totonu o tatou aiga.  Atonu o nei faiga masani ua faafaigata ona galulue nisi i galuega, malaga i atunu’u i fafo mo a’oa’oga, ma tausia matua i le taimi e tasi.  O nisi o matua ua nonofo lava mo le toega o le latou soifua ma se tasi o latou alo e tausia i latou, ma e masani ona faia e se teine matua o le fanau, ae fesoasoani uma isi o le fanau i tulaga tau seleni mo le tausiga o latou matua.  O le talitonu faapea afai e avea oe ma se tagata alofa ma e te tausia lelei ou matua, a avea fo’i oe ma matua, ma ulu o lou aiga, e faamanuiaina foi oe i le tautua a lau fanau.  I nisi o suesuega o le tausia o aiga o latou lava matua, o se faiga sili lea mo tagata Pasefika, peita’i e iai fo’i ona lu’itau.  O lea e tele ona sauaina tagata matutua e latou lava fanau po’o nisi foi i totonu o le aiga, e faigata fo’i la ona o’o atu se lavea’i mo nei matua pe afai o lo’o tausia i totonu o aiga, ma le mafai ona o’o atu tausiga po’o auaunaga mai fafo atu o le aiga lava ia, ma faaauau ai lava le sauaina o matua.  Saunoa le susuga i le faifeau ia Rev. Dr. Smith mai Niu Sila i se tasi o faatalanoaga na ia faapea ai, ‘o lo’o malolosi pea so’otaga i aiga Pasefika, ae o nisi o taimi, o so’otaga malolosi nei e mautinoa ai o lo’o tausia lelei tagata matutua, ua malepelepe ma talepeina, o lona uiga atonu e manaomia fo’i le tausia ese o tagata matutua mai aiga.’ 
I totonu o aiga Samoa o le matafaioi a tagata matutua le tuuina atu, a’oa’o atu, faasoa atu, ma faailoa atu le aganuu i le isi augatupulaga o lo’o fai mai.  O tu ma aga faale-aganuu, o talitonuga, ma faiga e pei o le ava fatafata, le mamana o mafutaga faale-tagata, felagolagoma’i ma lagolagoina o aiga, so’otaga i laufanua ma eleele, le faasinomaga e faavae i le faale-agaga, ma tala faasolopito, e a’oa’oina uma mai i a’ao o tagata matutua.  I Samoa ma isi atunu’u o le Pasefika, e le so’ona tautala se tagata.  E tatau ona tatou faalogo ma tu’u atu muamua le avanoa mo isi e saunoa muamua ai.  O se isi lea tulaga e tatau ona faia i le tausiga o tagata matutua, e so’o se tagata o lo’o ia faia le tiute o le tausiga po’o le vaavaaia o tagata matutua.  Ia tumau pea le faatauaina o latou manatu ma mafaufauga.  E tatau ona tatou faaalia le taua o nei tulaga, aemaise o le faaaogaina. 
 O le faatumauina o le soifua manuia o matua e taua tele lea i le itu o le faamautinoaina o le soifua manuia o latou aiga, nuu ma afioaga, aemaise i auga tupulaga uma.  O le mea moni lava latou, e le faigata ona faapupulaina.  A manuia matua, e manuia uma fo’i mea faia i totonu o se aiga, e vaaia fo’i le tula’i mai o aiga malolosi, o aiga e nuti mea faatasi.  E faapea fo’i lona itu faafeagai, a faaletonu matua, le tausiga o matua, e faaletonu uma atu ai lava ma mea fai o lena aiga.  So’o se tagata matua lava o lo’o sauaina i totonu o lona aiga, e le’o atoatoa fo’i se malosi o lena aiga, e leai fo’i se galulue faatasi i le tausiga o le matua.  A manuia tagata matutua o se nu’u, e manuia uma fo’i le nu’u.  A manuia o tatou matua, e sologa lelei uma fo’i mea uma i totonu o aiga.  E tatau ona amata mai totonu o tatou aiga le taofia o le sauaina o tagata matutua.