The circumstances leading to a three-year-old battling for his life in the hospital begs the question; Is it the culture of violence or silence that gives rise to such situations in our homes?

The toddler was hit by a metal object intended for his mother. The injuries are such that he is now in the intensive care unit.

The most worrying thing about the incident is that the parents of the child tried to conceal what had allegedly transpired.

The baby from Salamumu was taken to a district hospital for medical attention. It is alleged that the parents reportedly tried to cover up the cause of the injuries and blamed it on a fall.

Police Commissioner, Auapaau Logotino Filipo said an investigation is underway noting some difficulty due to the unwillingness of the mother to comment on the incident.

“From our outpost reports this is a domestic case where the father threw an object towards his wife and struck the baby,” said the Commissioner.

“It appears that the mother is reluctant to speak about what happened to the baby and there is reason to believe that she fears her husband who was recently released from jail for serving time.

“No charges have been pressed yet…the baby is still alive and what we have been told from the hospital is they are trying to take him overseas for treatment.”

This is an age-old problem where cases of violence in the family, be it physical or sexual, more often go unreported. Culture and tradition have been used to silence victims because the notion is given that reporting the matter will bring great shame to the family.

It is a greater shame not to report cases. The silence on instances of violence at home could lead to many feeling that such incidents are decriminalised. But the truth remains that domestic violence is a crime. It is a crime that impacts victims and everyone within a home.

The silence needs to be broken. If it is not then it would feel like a norm. It could lead to a chain reaction where even the law enforcement agency would only act if the situation were life-threatening. That is exactly what is happening in New Zealand.

Latest statistics suggest that 60 per cent of women in Samoa will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. And yet, we don't talk about it. Why is that? Is it because we're embarrassed? Ashamed?

No matter the reason, the silence surrounding domestic violence keeps victims trapped. They may not realise that what's happening to them is abuse. They may think they deserve it. They may be afraid to speak out because their abuser has threatened them or their children.

It is time for legislative intervention. Reporting domestic violence should be made mandatory. If a person who knowingly does not report domestic violence should also be held accountable. The law should also make it compulsory for village elders and chiefs to report the matter.

The church leaders should not only use religion to try and resolve violence in homes but they too should be mandated to report such matters to the police and then  work with the legal system towards rehabilitation.

There is a No Drop Policy for domestic violence with the Samoa Police. They are mandated to respond to every call about a domestic violence situation and they are mandated to take action.

If a report is filed, the police will act and the matter will come before the courts. This ensures a legal order protecting the victims from violence if the accused remains at home or not. Attitudes, values and beliefs that support or excuse violence towards family members are strongly linked with family violence.

The first step to ending domestic violence is breaking the silence. If you're a victim of domestic violence, tell someone—a friend, family member, clergy member, therapist, doctor, or teacher.

If the silence is not broken, the violence continues and will stop one day, when the victim is no longer able to speak. Silence maybe golden but not when it comes to domestic violence.