A group in Samoa says new work it is doing is helping to empower women married into other villages and who are the main sufferers of domestic abuse.
RNZ reports the women are known in Samoan as nofo tane and the Samoa Victim Support Group says they make up at least half of those knocking on its doors.
The group's president, Muli-aga Teli Sili-niu Lina Chang, said a two year $US200,000 project, funded by the United Nations, started in July and has reached villages in five constituencies so far.
"We're training our own village reps to be our voices in there, to lobby to have changes in there. A lot of the nofo tanes are looking after the village now, they are the leaders, leading the churches, leading the choirs, leading the youth."
Ms Chang said she applauds village leaders for helping make the transformation for nofo tane, but they still face a lot of problems.
Photo: Muli-aga Teli Sili-niu Lina Chang