Peace Corps Vanuatu is currently carrying out its annual awareness, this month, on sexual assault and yesterday in the afternoon a team visited VBTC to make presentations to the staff.

The theme of this year's awareness is "Embrace your voice" which advocates for all in society, women, youth, children and even men to use their voices to talk about their stories in an effort to bring about much needed change in the country.

The team's spokesperson, Julie William, told VBTC staff that similar awarenesses held in other offices, rural areas, and around town, have brought to light many stories, even from children who live in abusive situations at home.

Julie also said that Vanuatu's culture of 'blaming the victims' needs to be changed. There needs to be more effort in allowing them to speak out and have the confidence that they will be heard.

The violence experienced is not only physical and sexual, but more so emotion, mental and economic.

The Peace Corps team asked VBTC to help them use the media platform to help speak-out against such violence.

On their part VBTC staff stated that these issues are very real in ni-Vanuatu homes and will require people to change their thinking or mind-set about the issues. They thanked the Peace Corps for their efforts in the awareness.