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| Women seek islands of refuge in Papua New Guinea's sea of violence | Women seek islands of refuge in Papua New Guinea's sea of violence |
| (6 months later) | |
| In a room in Lae, Paula sits on the floor, Julie on a couch. Caseworkers and support staff are on seats, and barefoot children peer at the newcomers. The kids can’t play outside in case their fathers show up at the gate and see them. | In a room in Lae, Paula sits on the floor, Julie on a couch. Caseworkers and support staff are on seats, and barefoot children peer at the newcomers. The kids can’t play outside in case their fathers show up at the gate and see them. |
| Paula, Julie and their children are sheltering at this Salvation Army refuge, having fled their violent husbands. They have little more than their clothes but they are among the lucky ones in Papua New Guinea, where an epidemic of domestic violence makes it one of the most dangerous places in the world to be female. | Paula, Julie and their children are sheltering at this Salvation Army refuge, having fled their violent husbands. They have little more than their clothes but they are among the lucky ones in Papua New Guinea, where an epidemic of domestic violence makes it one of the most dangerous places in the world to be female. |
| About 50-70% of women in Papua New Guinea have experienced family or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. A similar number of PNG’s men are believed to be perpetrators. | About 50-70% of women in Papua New Guinea have experienced family or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. A similar number of PNG’s men are believed to be perpetrators. |
| For the 15% of the population who live in urban centres (pdf) like Lae and the capital, Port Moresby, survivors have access to a small but increasing number of support services offered by NGOs. | For the 15% of the population who live in urban centres (pdf) like Lae and the capital, Port Moresby, survivors have access to a small but increasing number of support services offered by NGOs. |
| In Lae, local NGO Femili PNG has for 18 months supported more than 370 abuse survivors. Femili is primarily funded by the Australian government and many of its staff were trained by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when it ran a family support centre at a local hospital. Femili works with the courts, a local police department of three, and a welfare officer, providing emergency care and obtaining interim protection orders. | In Lae, local NGO Femili PNG has for 18 months supported more than 370 abuse survivors. Femili is primarily funded by the Australian government and many of its staff were trained by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when it ran a family support centre at a local hospital. Femili works with the courts, a local police department of three, and a welfare officer, providing emergency care and obtaining interim protection orders. |
| Julie left her husband after he threatened to sexually abuse their six-year-old daughter. He had long been abusive to Julie, accused her brother of being their children’s father, and her of being a sorcerer. When he began making advances on his daughter, Julie and her children fled to a relative who put her in touch with Femili. They brought her to the refuge. | Julie left her husband after he threatened to sexually abuse their six-year-old daughter. He had long been abusive to Julie, accused her brother of being their children’s father, and her of being a sorcerer. When he began making advances on his daughter, Julie and her children fled to a relative who put her in touch with Femili. They brought her to the refuge. |
| Paula met her husband in 2010 and they had three children, one who died. Her husband was controlling, she says, restricting her conversations with male relatives and accusing her of talking to men behind his back. He was violent and verbally abusive. | Paula met her husband in 2010 and they had three children, one who died. Her husband was controlling, she says, restricting her conversations with male relatives and accusing her of talking to men behind his back. He was violent and verbally abusive. |
| In September, the basketball team Paula played for made the final, but when she came back from the game her husband accused her of only going to meet men. He threw her belongings outside. The next morning, he threw her out too. | In September, the basketball team Paula played for made the final, but when she came back from the game her husband accused her of only going to meet men. He threw her belongings outside. The next morning, he threw her out too. |
| “I said, ‘If you don’t want me to stay with you then buy my ticket and I’ll go home to my relatives,’” she recounts. “I said I [would] take my two children. He said, ‘No, you leave my children and you go.’ | “I said, ‘If you don’t want me to stay with you then buy my ticket and I’ll go home to my relatives,’” she recounts. “I said I [would] take my two children. He said, ‘No, you leave my children and you go.’ |
| “The next night he got the bush knife and was trying to cut me. So I got these two small ones [children] and we walked away. I was trying to leave the house, but he pulled my shirt and pulled me down. He punched me here and I fell on top of that small boy.” | “The next night he got the bush knife and was trying to cut me. So I got these two small ones [children] and we walked away. I was trying to leave the house, but he pulled my shirt and pulled me down. He punched me here and I fell on top of that small boy.” |
| Women lack safe places to go to when they are assaulted. Many have no choice but to return to an abusive home. Paula says the police gave her husband a warning, and he assaulted her again once they were home. | Women lack safe places to go to when they are assaulted. Many have no choice but to return to an abusive home. Paula says the police gave her husband a warning, and he assaulted her again once they were home. |
| Finally Paula escaped and contacted a family support centre and the police. Her husband was arrested and Paula grabbed her children from the house. She is waiting for him to face court and for her relatives to raise enough money to fly her and the children to Port Moresby. | Finally Paula escaped and contacted a family support centre and the police. Her husband was arrested and Paula grabbed her children from the house. She is waiting for him to face court and for her relatives to raise enough money to fly her and the children to Port Moresby. |
| Asked if she’s worried he will track her down, she says: “He might, so I’m afraid. He said if I’m going back he’s going to kill me.” | Asked if she’s worried he will track her down, she says: “He might, so I’m afraid. He said if I’m going back he’s going to kill me.” |
| Despite violence against women being pervasive – available data is old, flawed and specific to the small locations where people have been surveyed – resources to tackle the problem are minuscule. Shelters are so few that facilities like the Lae refuge are nationally renowned. | Despite violence against women being pervasive – available data is old, flawed and specific to the small locations where people have been surveyed – resources to tackle the problem are minuscule. Shelters are so few that facilities like the Lae refuge are nationally renowned. |
| While the government has passed new laws against family and sexual violence it has largely failed to enact or enforce any of them, and services are provided by NGOs, churches and grassroots organisations. Family, and the traditional welfare network of wantok, also play their parts. | While the government has passed new laws against family and sexual violence it has largely failed to enact or enforce any of them, and services are provided by NGOs, churches and grassroots organisations. Family, and the traditional welfare network of wantok, also play their parts. |
| Ume Wainetti, national coordinator of the family and sexual violence action committee, says the government is failing to follow through on commitments. “It’s either through ignorance or people are not prepared to use the law. Rape charges are very minimal,” she says. | Ume Wainetti, national coordinator of the family and sexual violence action committee, says the government is failing to follow through on commitments. “It’s either through ignorance or people are not prepared to use the law. Rape charges are very minimal,” she says. |
| Family and sexual violence units attached to 14 police stations are proving effective but are resource-starved. The Lae unit has two officers and a commander, who on any given day face 30 to 40 women lodging a complaint or seeking interim protection orders against violent partners. | Family and sexual violence units attached to 14 police stations are proving effective but are resource-starved. The Lae unit has two officers and a commander, who on any given day face 30 to 40 women lodging a complaint or seeking interim protection orders against violent partners. |
| Sebastian Roberts, family and sexual violence coordinator at the department of health, says collaboration between government, authorities and organisations is improving but gaps remain. | Sebastian Roberts, family and sexual violence coordinator at the department of health, says collaboration between government, authorities and organisations is improving but gaps remain. |
| “The commitment is there in terms of paper, but when it comes to funding we have a problem,” he says. | “The commitment is there in terms of paper, but when it comes to funding we have a problem,” he says. |
| In Port Moresby, hidden behind trees next to a hotel, two dozen women and children shelter in a guesthouse called Haus Ruth. It was opened by the City Mission charity 13 years ago. | In Port Moresby, hidden behind trees next to a hotel, two dozen women and children shelter in a guesthouse called Haus Ruth. It was opened by the City Mission charity 13 years ago. |
| “We saw a need … that was not being addressed, or was but in a very, very limited fashion,” says Ronald Brown, the pastor who runs the mission. | “We saw a need … that was not being addressed, or was but in a very, very limited fashion,” says Ronald Brown, the pastor who runs the mission. |
| Brown wants to convert the guesthouse into apartments and use the money to accommodate more survivors at a protected community on farmland owned by the mission out of town. Perpetrators frequently show up at the gates of Haus Ruth looking for their partners. | Brown wants to convert the guesthouse into apartments and use the money to accommodate more survivors at a protected community on farmland owned by the mission out of town. Perpetrators frequently show up at the gates of Haus Ruth looking for their partners. |
| “It’s not like in America or Australia where you have a women’s refuge … tucked in a place where nobody knows,” he says. | “It’s not like in America or Australia where you have a women’s refuge … tucked in a place where nobody knows,” he says. |
| “Here we’re right on Ela beach, next to a hotel. Everybody knows where we are. We’re hoping to eventually, someday, move Haus Ruth, secure it better, and get a bit of distance between them and perpetrators here. | “Here we’re right on Ela beach, next to a hotel. Everybody knows where we are. We’re hoping to eventually, someday, move Haus Ruth, secure it better, and get a bit of distance between them and perpetrators here. |
| “Because [the number of residents] can change dramatically at any point in time we have to have the capacity to be able to absorb whatever happens. They’re all brought to us – referred by police or other NGOs. We’re the only game in town. | “Because [the number of residents] can change dramatically at any point in time we have to have the capacity to be able to absorb whatever happens. They’re all brought to us – referred by police or other NGOs. We’re the only game in town. |
| “I have four young girls there right now who came in alone. They’re aged 12 to 14. Three of them were sexually trafficked. The fourth has been badly sexually abused.” | “I have four young girls there right now who came in alone. They’re aged 12 to 14. Three of them were sexually trafficked. The fourth has been badly sexually abused.” |
| It’s an alarming aspect of the violence, particularly in cities. Girls are trafficked from other provinces and forced into sexual slavery. Some local girls are trafficked by family and forced into sex work. | It’s an alarming aspect of the violence, particularly in cities. Girls are trafficked from other provinces and forced into sexual slavery. Some local girls are trafficked by family and forced into sex work. |
| “We do get referrals from outside the community and we do repatriate outside the community, depending upon circumstances. So if it’s not safe for the women to be in this community, we’ll pay to get them sent back to a village or an island or wherever they have to go to get away from the perpetrator,” says Brown. | “We do get referrals from outside the community and we do repatriate outside the community, depending upon circumstances. So if it’s not safe for the women to be in this community, we’ll pay to get them sent back to a village or an island or wherever they have to go to get away from the perpetrator,” says Brown. |
| The City Mission also runs a halfway house for boys who have lived on the street or been in prison. Brown aims to teach them about respect for women while they are young. | The City Mission also runs a halfway house for boys who have lived on the street or been in prison. Brown aims to teach them about respect for women while they are young. |
| He estimates up to 500 young men are in the programme, and the majority of them grew up surrounded by abuse. | He estimates up to 500 young men are in the programme, and the majority of them grew up surrounded by abuse. |
| “They’re so used to seeing it, they’re so conditioned to see it, that even after spending a year and a half at City Mission, they still may leave thinking the same way,” he says, but adds that the programmes are having a positive impact. | “They’re so used to seeing it, they’re so conditioned to see it, that even after spending a year and a half at City Mission, they still may leave thinking the same way,” he says, but adds that the programmes are having a positive impact. |
| “To stop gender-based violence, working with the women and children who have been victims and survivors is obviously a necessity, but we need to [also get] a hold of the young men.” | “To stop gender-based violence, working with the women and children who have been victims and survivors is obviously a necessity, but we need to [also get] a hold of the young men.” |
| The health department’s Roberts agrees. “Men are coming on board. Before when the issue of gender was coming in, they saw it as a women’s issue. But after much advocacy and awareness we began to see men coming in to support women and look at prevention of GBV and promotion of human rights.” | The health department’s Roberts agrees. “Men are coming on board. Before when the issue of gender was coming in, they saw it as a women’s issue. But after much advocacy and awareness we began to see men coming in to support women and look at prevention of GBV and promotion of human rights.” |
| Paula and Julie wait at Femili, reliant on wantok to cobble together funds to help them move on with their lives. | Paula and Julie wait at Femili, reliant on wantok to cobble together funds to help them move on with their lives. |
| “I was happy when I came here,” says Paula. “I felt there are friends here who will help me. I will get a restraining order and go to welfare about these two children. I’m not going back to him.” | “I was happy when I came here,” says Paula. “I felt there are friends here who will help me. I will get a restraining order and go to welfare about these two children. I’m not going back to him.” |