Blame Australia.
Papua New Guinea, Where Violence Can Seem Like the Norm for Women
By THE NEW YORK TIMESJAN. 17, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/wo...omen.html?_r=0
Carey Wagner for The New York Times
A Culture of Violence
In the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s most violent places, nearly every woman has experienced some form of domestic abuse.
Papua New Guinea, a developing country of seven million people with a growing market in the mining of natural resources, is one of the most violent places in the world for women, according to the United Nations. In the country’s remote Highlands, the Australian government found that nearly every woman has experienced some form of physical violence, including sexual violence. After decades of abuse from her husband, Agnes, who is now living in a safe house said: “I thought that that was normal for a woman to be beaten by her husband. I never thought it wasn’t right.”
The photographer Carey Wagner spent several weeks in this South Pacific island country documenting how a complex blend of traditional beliefs and lopsided gender dynamics have created a culture of violence in which women are particularly vulnerable.
“Men are being taught that this is the way that you should treat your wife, your sister or even your mother,” said Paulina Castillo, a psychologist affiliated with a Doctors Without Borders clinic in Tari that treats women suffering from bush knife wounds or sexual abuse. Doctors and nurses at this remote clinic say they have never seen such regularly occurring violence outside of conflict zones.
While violent customs are hard to overcome, the country is taking small steps to bring gender violence under control. In September, Parliament passed a bill that makes all forms of domestic violence a crime punishable with fines and jail time. “In our culture, men think that they are the bosses and they have the right to control the woman,” said Lydia, who recently filed an order for protection against her husband. “I want women to know we have our own rights.”
By THE NEW YORK TIMESJAN. 17, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/wo...omen.html?_r=0
Carey Wagner for The New York Times
A Culture of Violence
In the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s most violent places, nearly every woman has experienced some form of domestic abuse.
Papua New Guinea, a developing country of seven million people with a growing market in the mining of natural resources, is one of the most violent places in the world for women, according to the United Nations. In the country’s remote Highlands, the Australian government found that nearly every woman has experienced some form of physical violence, including sexual violence. After decades of abuse from her husband, Agnes, who is now living in a safe house said: “I thought that that was normal for a woman to be beaten by her husband. I never thought it wasn’t right.”
The photographer Carey Wagner spent several weeks in this South Pacific island country documenting how a complex blend of traditional beliefs and lopsided gender dynamics have created a culture of violence in which women are particularly vulnerable.
“Men are being taught that this is the way that you should treat your wife, your sister or even your mother,” said Paulina Castillo, a psychologist affiliated with a Doctors Without Borders clinic in Tari that treats women suffering from bush knife wounds or sexual abuse. Doctors and nurses at this remote clinic say they have never seen such regularly occurring violence outside of conflict zones.
While violent customs are hard to overcome, the country is taking small steps to bring gender violence under control. In September, Parliament passed a bill that makes all forms of domestic violence a crime punishable with fines and jail time. “In our culture, men think that they are the bosses and they have the right to control the woman,” said Lydia, who recently filed an order for protection against her husband. “I want women to know we have our own rights.”
Girls in PNG given away in compensation
From THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS
News
Fri 17 Jan 2014
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/...-compensation/
PORT MORESBY, PNG --- Papua New Guinea Police in Jiwaka have been alerted about the giving away of two young girls as part of compensation payments.
And a human rights lawyer has condemned the decision by Menginpol villagers to hand over the girls, aged 13 and 15, to people at neighbouring Kui, as compensation over the death of a teacher.
The two groups live together in the Kol local level government in Jimi district, Jiwaka. Pigs and K9,000 (US$3, 582) were paid as part of the same compensation package.
Assistant police commissioner in the highlands region Teddy Tei said he had instructed police in Banz, Jiwaka, to investigate the matter immediately.
Mt Hagen-based human rights lawyer Danny Gonol said the two girls’ dignity and rights should have been protected.
He called on Jiwaka police to investigate the matter and arrest those who made the decision to give away the two girls as compensation.
“This is a breach of human rights at its worst,” he said.
“I condemn the community leaders from Kol who made the decision to give away two innocent girls to settle a dispute.”
Gonol said compensation in the highlanders’ context comprised material goods and money only.
He said the two girls were given away to the relatives of the deceased teacher for marriage.
But this was against their consent and worse, they were still under-aged.
“This is totally wrong. No one in his or her right mind will make such a decision to give away two girls.”
Gonol said human beings were born superior than the animals and therefore, cannot be treated like an animal.
“This is like a human trade and this practice must stop now, it’s a new thing in the province and rest of the highlands region,” he said.
He said police must immediately step in and return the two girls to their parents.
From THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS
News
Fri 17 Jan 2014
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/...-compensation/
PORT MORESBY, PNG --- Papua New Guinea Police in Jiwaka have been alerted about the giving away of two young girls as part of compensation payments.
And a human rights lawyer has condemned the decision by Menginpol villagers to hand over the girls, aged 13 and 15, to people at neighbouring Kui, as compensation over the death of a teacher.
The two groups live together in the Kol local level government in Jimi district, Jiwaka. Pigs and K9,000 (US$3, 582) were paid as part of the same compensation package.
Assistant police commissioner in the highlands region Teddy Tei said he had instructed police in Banz, Jiwaka, to investigate the matter immediately.
Mt Hagen-based human rights lawyer Danny Gonol said the two girls’ dignity and rights should have been protected.
He called on Jiwaka police to investigate the matter and arrest those who made the decision to give away the two girls as compensation.
“This is a breach of human rights at its worst,” he said.
“I condemn the community leaders from Kol who made the decision to give away two innocent girls to settle a dispute.”
Gonol said compensation in the highlanders’ context comprised material goods and money only.
He said the two girls were given away to the relatives of the deceased teacher for marriage.
But this was against their consent and worse, they were still under-aged.
“This is totally wrong. No one in his or her right mind will make such a decision to give away two girls.”
Gonol said human beings were born superior than the animals and therefore, cannot be treated like an animal.
“This is like a human trade and this practice must stop now, it’s a new thing in the province and rest of the highlands region,” he said.
He said police must immediately step in and return the two girls to their parents.
Comment