Identifying with the women

Amnesty International Otago University Club member Aakash Chhibber donned Pacific Island women's dress yesterday to highlight a petition calling for action to protect women in the Pacific Islands from violence.

Mr Chhibber said reaction at the university union building was mixed, with a few students not knowing what to make of his unusual dress.

Club co-leader Kari Schmidt said many people assumed abuse was "custom" in certain cultures, but it should not be assumed Pacific women were content to live in a violent or male-dominated culture.

The Pacific had horrific rates of violence and rape, and women were often seen as property. In three hours, the petition received more than 140 signatures.