SVSG Commences 2025 with Love from the Communities
On early January 05, President Tagiilima Maiava
- NOFOTANE
- YOUTH
- VILLAGE REPS
- COMMUNITY
- LAW CENTRE
- TRIBUTES
- ONLINE SHOP
Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) uses a human rights based approach to service delivery. The approach includes case management, court support, psychosocial support, residential care, and community engagement.
Interface with the public on requests for assitance and referrals to the relevant agencies. This is specifically for GBCV cases.
Supporting victims in court and offenders of violence referred from Court to attend SVSG's rehabilitative program.
Offering a safe space for clients who seek comfort or assistance for matters relating to their mental, emotional and spiritual support.
Prevention programs engages the community to take ownership of their role as care takers of their respective communities. SVSG has a network of community leaders volunteering as SVSG village representatives.
SVSG is the sole provider of temporary residential care for abused women and children in Samoa. There are shelters for women, teenage girls, children, and for pregnant girls as well as a school and extension building for training.
SVSG operates a comprehensive casework system as its primary public interface, receiving requests directly from victims and referrals from organizations like the Police. This critical response mechanism evaluates each case and determines appropriate interventions, with criminal matters immediately referred to law enforcement. The organization provides legal support throughout the justice process, explaining victims’ rights, familiarizing them with court procedures, and applying for Interim Protection Orders from the Family Court to protect those experiencing family violence. SVSG also maintains a 24-hour free helpline (800-7874) to ensure victims have access to support whenever needed.
Recognizing that poverty and lack of education are root causes of violence and social problems, SVSG has expanded beyond immediate crisis response to address these underlying issues. The organization provides emergency welfare assistance including temporary accommodation, food, and clothing for those in need. Through a strategic partnership with Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI), SVSG helps break the poverty cycle by promoting educational opportunities, skills training, and income-generating activities for victims’ families. Recent women’s economic empowerment programs have successfully equipped unemployed women with livelihood skills that enable them to earn sustainable incomes.
SVSG offers three specialized advocacy programs targeting different demographics: the Men’s Advocacy Program for male offenders, the Tina Faufautua Program for female offenders, and the Youth Empowerment Program for young offenders. These programs incorporate comprehensive counseling services covering anger management, couple and family counseling, and substance abuse treatment, while integrating traditional Samoan culture, values, and spiritual guidance to ensure interventions are culturally relevant and holistic in addressing the needs of offenders and their families.
Critical to SVSG’s mission is raising public awareness on the human rights of everyone in the community and that crimes such as incest, rape, sexual assault and child abuse are illegal and will not be tolerated in the Samoan community. Being aware provides the impetus needed for victims to come forward and seek assistance, to change the behaviour of perpetrators and improve the laws and services providing support to survivors of crime.
SVSG provides three different advocacy programs: Men’s Advocacy Program for male offenders; Tina Faufautua Program for female offenders; and Youth Empowerment Program for the young offenders.
Counselling programs such as anger management, couple counselling, family group counselling, alcohol and drugs abuse counselling form part of the Advocacy Program. Included also are the basics in the Samoan tradition and culture as well as the spiritual aspect of everyday life.
The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) is the sole provider of temporary residential care for abused women and children in Samoa. SVSG operates several shelters and two schooling facilities at the Campus of Hope in Apia. The Campus is located on leased land from The Government of Samoa. SVSG is sheltering an overwhelmingly increasing number of women and children who are victims of violence. Some victims are exposed to further abuse when they return to their home or no longer have a home to return to. Victims are safe and well cared for at SVSG’s Campus of Hope that offers the following facilities:
Sakura House is a domestic violence shelter for women. Sakura is a name for the Japanese cherry blossom season and means a ‘better life’. It also represents a time of renewal and optimism.
Asahi House is a training centre for the children that includes a computer lab. Asahi means the ‘rising sun’. The Government of Japan built and donated Sakura House and Asahi House as part of its Grass-Roots Human Security Programme. Both houses cost ST$477,000 and were officially opened in June 2021.
House of Blessings was built in 2015 with funding support from an Australian donor. The nursery functions as a place where young mothers can raise their children when they need a safe environment. The majority of the children who are raised in the nursery (until 3+ years old) are born from children who are survivors of rape. It also includes an isolation unit and a clinic.
House of Hope was the first shelter to be built in Samoa (in 2012) to provide a temporary home for children aged 3 to 12 years old. Through the donation of the Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise in Queensland, Australia, the house safely cares for children who are victims of crime.
House of Dreams was built in 2015 with funding support from an Australian donor. It provides a temporary home for female survivors of crimes who are 13 years old or above and under the care of SVSG.
Ray of Hope was specifically built in 2016 by the Ray of Hope Foundation and Digicel Group to shelter pregnant survivors of rape who are under the care of SVSG. The house offers private clinical rooms for regular check-ups, which protects them from being exposed in public hospitals.
School of Hope follows the curriculum of mainstream schooling. It also offers ongoing counselling as well as opportunities for growth and development to traumatized victims of sexual abuse. It is important that the school remains private to protect the children from public scrutiny.
Built by youth for youth, the School of Hope has a separate classroom that caters for activities like home economics and livelihood training workshops. When young people are equipped with a livelihood skill they are equipped to contribute to society. Having a skill empowers them to contribute to their own livelihood. This project was initiated by students from Helensvale State High School. The school has since partnered with four other high schools in Queensland to raise further funds for the building.
This souvenier shop sells goods produced from the children’s livelihood rehabilitation, such as printed lava lava, jewellery and handicrafts
Immediate action to provide food, shelter, and medical care.
Training and resources to help communities thrive sustainably.
Ensuring equal access to education and raising awareness on critical issues.
Offering safe and warm temporary shelters to victims
With every step, we’re moving closer to a world where no one is left behind. To ensure every survivor is safe, well-supported, and empowered to regain control of their narrative and rebuild their future.
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On early January 05, President Tagiilima Maiava
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