Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre

HISTORY

The Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre opened its doors in 2011 after many years of planning for a service to respond to violence against women in the Ra province.

The drive for a Crisis Centre in Ra began in the early 2000s after a group of women received training on gender, violence against women and human rights, and another training was held for male advocates for women’s human rights. These women recognized the need for a Crisis Centre in the province and after further planning and meetings, a group including the government’s women’s interest officer at the time and other interested women formed a collective and requested the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre to establish a branch to address violence against women, girls and children in Ra.

Funding was acquired through the New Zealand government’s aid program and the Centre was opened in July 2011 by the UN Women Assistant Secretary General, John Hendra.

COLLECTIVE STATEMENT

The Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre is a branch of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. It is a multi-racial, non-government organisation committed to the betterment of women’s lives through collective efforts against violence. The Centre operates on the principle of EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN and is based on the conviction that women’s rights are human rights.

SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHILD ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ARE VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. The Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre is dedicated to the belief that no one has the right to inflict violence on a woman or child under any circumstances! We must work together to create a society where women and children can live without fear of violence.

SERVICES

Counselling and Support Services

• Free and confidential, non-judgmental crisis, counselling for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and sexual harassment.
• Legal advice.
• Accompanying clients or referral of clients to court, police stations, hospitals and other agencies upon request.
• Phone services available 8:30am – 3:30pm Monday – Friday on 6694012 / 9377784 (24 hours).
• 24-hour telephone counselling on phone number 3313300 / 9209470 (operated from Suva).
• Emotional support and options for clients to be able to make choices for themselves.

Community Education and Public Advocacy

• Talks, workshops and seminars on the issue of violence against women and children in Hindi, iTaukei and English.
• Lobbying for law reform (together with FWCC).
• Lobbying locally for women’s human rights.
• Organising and participating in international and national campaigns against violence against women and children.

Information Services

• The Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre opens its library services to members of the public who are looking for information on violence against women and children and related issues.
• Documenting the experiences of women and children who are survivors of violence.
• Collection of statistical data on violence against women and children.

Physical Address: Lot 2, Yaratale Road, Vaileka

Telephone: 669-4012 (24 hours)

Mobile: 912-9790  (24 hours)