Atitoafaiga Tau-Ioapo, a 30-year-old Samoan rugby league player, recently faced a frightening situation when a teammate went missing after a violent incident. Drawing on her psychological first aid (PFA) training from Apelu Sports, Samoa’s only women’s sports NGO and a partner of the Spotlight Initiative, she was able to ensure her teammate’s safety, provide immediate support, and assist in reporting the assault to authorities. This experience highlighted the crucial role of PFA training in both protecting victims and safeguarding the wellbeing of those offering help.
Tau-Ioapo emphasizes that the training not only equips athletes to respond effectively in crisis situations but also builds confidence, awareness, and the ability to identify unsafe environments. Her teammate Anasis Afi’a, 26, has similarly used Spotlight Initiative-supported training to advocate for vulnerable adolescent girls in her community, including pregnant girls facing social stigma, demonstrating how sports-based interventions can extend impact beyond the field.
Gabrielle Fuatino Apelu, founder and director of Apelu Sports, believes sports can be a transformative platform to change social norms around gender-based violence in Samoa. Leveraging her experience as the Pacific’s first female National Rugby League manager, she developed programs with a strong gender lens, incorporating family life education, gender budgeting, and psychosocial first aid. Apelu stresses that athletes, coaches, administrators, and supporters are all part of the sports ecosystem and can contribute to violence prevention.
Since 2019, Apelu Sports has trained over 300 athletes and sports administrators in gender-based violence prevention with Spotlight Initiative support. This training has enabled timely intervention in multiple cases, including supporting a player being groomed online and ensuring her safety. The organization aims to create a lasting impact, fostering a Samoa where young people can grow up safely and thrive, both on and off the field.
The work of Apelu Sports demonstrates how integrating gender-based violence prevention into sports programs can empower women, strengthen community support networks, and challenge harmful social norms, offering a model for sustainable social change in the Pacific.
