Sponsored by the Chuuk State Attorney General’s Office through the U.S. Compact of Free Association, the three-day training included participants from Chuuk State Departments of Public Safety, Health, Legal Services, the religious sector, Chuuk Women’s Council, and other interested community groups.
Chuuk Attorney General Joses Gallen remarked that “domestic violence is a major problem in Chuuk, and it affects everyone in the community,” and noted that his office is increasing its focus on family-related issues.
Management officer JoEllen Gorg of the U.S. Embassy in Pohnpei thanked conference organizers “for their courage to bring this issue out in the open” and conference participants “for their courage to be associated with this sensitive issue.”
The conference included sessions on the impact domestic violence has on victims, especially children, and communities. Participants also studied the characteristics of abusers, the importance of collaboration between law enforcement, the legal system, victim and legislative advocates, and victim sensitivity. The conference also discussed action plans and coalition building among community and state-advocacy groups.
At the conclusion of the training, Supreme Court Chief Justice Camillo Noket urged participants to assist in community awareness and lobby for domestic violence legislation. To date, no state in the FSM has enacted anti-domestic violence legislation.
In addition to legal trainer Bill Minkley, the training included presentations by NDAA director of programs Candace Mosley, senior attorney Kristina Korobov of the National Center for the Prosecutions of Violence Against Women, Police Lt. Mark Wynn of Wynn Consulting, and Valerie Wynn, executive director/founder of The Mary Parrish Center for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence.
