More Calls To Expedite Strategy Against Violence in PNG

In light of the alarming rate of abused women in Papua New Guinea, Senior Constable, Juliana Epe from the Royal PNG Constabulary, has rallied behind calls for government to expedite the country’s Gender Based Violence Strategy to address and quell violence-related crimes.

Senior Constable Epe serves as the Officer in Charge of the Boroko Family & Sexual Violence Unit, FSVU, which processes a staggering average of over 11’000 sexual penetration cases per annum.

“It must and it should…. Why wait while this issue of violence is killing us, it’s pulling the nation down. It’s happening and we can’t stop it, but we can minimize and regulate it so people will know that violence-related acts are criminal in nature, especially when it is inflicted on our women and girls,” said Senior Constable Epe.

The rate of cases dealt with by FSVU in 2009 has increased dramatically from between 1 to 5 cases of female victims per day, to figures between 20 to 35 cases being processed by the Unit on a daily basis, at present.

“This is a big problem in Papua New Guinea, but it needs more than government intervention, it needs the police force working with community to address the implications of violence, but at the same time I do support calls to expedite the completion of the National Strategy against violence as it’s pulling PNG down,” said Senior Constable Epe.

Community Development Secretary, Anna Solomon, told PNG TV Live the construction of a nationwide strategy must not be rushed, given the country’s spectrum in geography and demography.

The Strategy was initiated in late 2014 by the Community Development Department, the Family Sexual Violence Action Committee and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, funded by the Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, DFAT.

PNGTV / ONE PNG