By ZACHERY PER
MOST female prison detainees at some of the major jails around the country are victims of their husband’s polygamous behaviour.
This was revealed in an emotional one-off gathering between women Village Court magistrates and female detainees at Bihute jail outside Goroka town last week.
The trainee Village Court magistrates went on an excursion to Bihute jail visiting 26 female detainees, who emotionally disclosed that they are victims of their husband’s polygamous behaviour.
They openly said they were detained because they either killed or attacked their husband’s new wife or girlfriends.
They claimed they were being unfairly treated by the judiciary system, adding the offences they committed were all the making of their husbands.
“We are being put behind bars for problems caused by our husbands. Here we are in jail while our husbands are having a good time with their new wives utilising the resources we have sweat to build,” they told the women magistrates.
They called for the judiciary to properly weigh out cases before imposing sentences to any female caught in similar problems.
One of the women Village Court magistrates, Betty Benson, said as female magistrates they would now be able to fairly hear cases concerning women .
She said they sympathised with the women, adding that they would do what they could for the common good of all women while promoting gender equality at the Village Court level.
Mrs Benson said polygamy, prostitution, HIV/AIDS and family violence were linked to one another.
She said when polygamous men go out partying and prostituting, they were likely to contract the virus and pass it to their wives. It also causes family violence.
Mrs Benson, who is now the first woman Village Court magistrate in Asaro government station, said they would properly deal with marriage cases without fear or favour manner so that decisions were fair.