Cook Islands - Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................i
PART 1: PACIFIC PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMME
– THE FOUR COUNTRY STUDY .......................................................................1
Research aims and terms of reference ....................................................................1
Our approach and methodological framework..........................................................3
The four country reports ...........................................................................................5
PART 2: THE COOK ISLANDS STUDY .................................................................6
SECTION 1: POLICE ATTITUDES, POLICY AND PRACTICE ..........................9
Current specific levels of domestic violence reported to Police................................9
Current Police policy, protocols and general processes and procedures (including
record keeping) for dealing with domestic violence................................................12
The current state of Police prosecution of domestic violence including levels of
case withdrawal, levels of prosecution against reporting, and the overall number of
offenders being held accountable for their actions .................................................13
Any history of change around Police domestic violence practice...........................18
Current Police leadership practice around domestic violence................................19
Police attitudes and perceptions of domestic violence ...........................................20
Police attitudes and perceptions towards Police Officers as domestic violence
offenders.................................................................................................................26
Current policy and practice arrangements for dealing with Police Officers as
domestic violence offenders ...................................................................................26
The current state of Police domestic violence training ...........................................27
The state and recent history of Police partner relations.............................................27
SECTION 2: GOVERNMENT, NGO AND COMMUNITY ATTITUDES AND
RESPONSES........................................................................................................30
Current and historical levels of domestic violence reported to the key nongovernment
agencies (women’s crisis/refuge organisations).................................30
Some assessment of the prevalence of domestic violence using the available
Police and non-government agency data, and data available from other agencies,
including the United Nations...................................................................................31
Broad trends in victim attitudes towards domestic violence and reporting to the
Police......................................................................................................................31
The policy and other contribution of key non-government agencies to dealing with
and reducing domestic violence .............................................................................35
A general assessment of levels of social acceptance and cultural tolerance
towards domestic violence .....................................................................................36
Current government policy and practice arrangements directed or associated with
domestic violence ...................................................................................................38
The current state of legislative arrangements in relation to domestic violence,
including compliance with international covenants and conventions (CEDAW).....39
The current state of any alternative approaches (village justice) to domestic
violence ..................................................................................................................40
Overview of nature and extent of systems in place for reporting and sharing
information on medical and death records relating to domestic violence ...............41
The attitudes of key religious organisations towards domestic violence ................42
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................43
ANNEXES......................................................................................................44