Domestic violence is being swept under the mat in Pacific Island countries, with culture being used as an excuse, the region’s top cops say. “It is easy to say `Look, that’s our culture, to (treat) women in this fashion.’ I don’t think it is the culture of any country to be able to engage in domestic violence.” One study found up to 10,000 women in Tonga are victims of violence by a husband or partner every year, while in New Zealand police attend 120 family violence calls a day.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4234518a11.html