As Samoa's government reviews its RSE scheme in New Zealand and Australia, a local NGO says infidelity is one of the issues within the scheme causing family members to seek social support.
Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) spokesperson Pepe Tevaga said while the scheme has benefitted many Samoan families, in some cases, couples had had to separate as husbands then married fellow RSE workers while working abroad.
As a result, jilted women have applied to the courts in Samoa for maintenance support for themselves and their children.
Photo: SVSG
Tevaga said the women were usually unemployed and most lived with their in-laws in Samoa while the husband worked under the RSE scheme.
Once the husband confirms his new relationship, the former wife is forced to leave the husband's family, especially if the husband returns with a new partner to stay with his family.
Women have also sought counselling as some have been suicidal.
Tevaga said children from broken families had been in the care of their shelters while the mothers looked for work.
From SVSG's perspective, the whole RSE process - from local recruitment of workers to medical checks, to character checks, to pre-departure orientation and ongoing workers support overseas - required improvement and system strengthening.
This would ensure that those taking up the opportunity to work under the RSE scheme would prevent their remaining family members to go through social hardships.