Wife beating

Vanuatu

on increase

Violence against women, particularly wife beating, is reportedly common and on the rise in Vanuatu, according to a USA State Department report on the situ ation of human rights in the country.

The report says few cases of wife beating are brought to the attention of the authorities and even fewer are prosecut ed. Usually the women involved drop their cases before trial.

The report says in villages, where custom is strong, women who have been beaten, abused and raped, frequently suffer greater punishment than their abusers.

It says although there are specific laws against spouse beating, the courts have at times dealt severely with such cases, using common law assault as the basis for imposing punishment.