EMPOWER Pacific counsellors have received 15 calls about domestic violence and unemployment concerns over the past two days.
CEO Patrick Morgam said they opened up a 24-hour helpline to cater for people in the Sugar City affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.
“One of the main reasons we started the service wasbecause of the lockdown. A lot of people are getting stressed as some have had to stay home and take leave without pay,” he said.
Mr Morgam said anyone who wished to speak to a counsellor could contact them on 2937141 (Vodafone users) and 7765626 (Digicel users).
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation and Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre issued a joint statement yesterday on the impacts and implications expected from the COVID-19
crisis in the country.
“Through the Safety and Protection Cluster, my Ministry is working closely with the signatories to the National Service Delivery Protocol, such as police, key government ministries, frontline service providers such as the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, Medical Services Pacific, Empower Pacific, Salvation Army, and others to ensure that women and girls are protected, and perpetrators do not use this situation as an opportunity to commit violence,” said minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa.
“Our National Domestic Violence Helpline 1560 and the Child Helpline Fiji 1325 will continue to be fully operational 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.”
