Cook Islands Police Family Violence unit has developed a new reporting template to better streamline domestic violence complaints.

The new reporting system will be implemented soon.

Police media officer Trevor Pitt said the template will assist the team in easily referring a case from Frontline Police to the cooperating agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAFF).

Pitt clarified that relevant counselling agencies would also be consulted, and this would be on a trial basis with them.

Earlier in May, Police signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Punanga Tauturu Inc (PTI) and men’s counselling service Te Punanga Ora’anga Matutu (Te POM) as a preventative framework.

Punanga Tauturu Inc coordinator Rebeka Buchanan said that when people go to police with their complaints of domestic violence issues, they need to be referred right away to the counselling services.

“When they go to court and the JP (Justice of the Peace), they are told to do counselling and it takes six weeks when (police/court) refer them,” she said.

Buchanan said Rarotonga now has counselling services for both men and women, therefore gender-based violence and domestic violence can be dealt with if a case is referred quickly.

“We need to get working, especially gender-based violence, domestic violence, all part of that. It’s where they can find or get the tools to know how to deal with these issues. We don’t need to wait,” she said.

Buchanan said a way to tackle domestic violence issues is this new referral pathway.

She said this was a framework used some years back and the helping organisations were aware of domestic violence.

“Before, things were referred to (us) quickly ... soon as clients come to the doctor, they are seen and if something else (such as domestic violence) they are told to go next door. So that kind of early intervention in a way is good,” she said.

For counselling services, visit Te POM’s website at https://www.tepom.co.ck/contact or phone +682-74811, and for Punanga Tauturu Inc, you can call on: +682-21 133.

• Losirene Lacanivalu