Policy to stop domestic violence

STAFF of the National Research Institute have been warned that they would face “serious consequences” if caught committing domestic violence offences.
The warning was issued during the launch of the institute’s domestic violence policy yesterday in Port Moresby by acting director Dr Osborne Sanida.
He said that domestic violence was a problem at the institute and he hoped the launch of the institute’s policy would help to curb it.
The policy also intended to provide appropriate safety and support services to victims.
Sanida said the protection and wellbeing of NRI staff and their families was a priority for the institute and that it would pursue the perpetrators to the fullest extent possible.
Gender programme research fellow Mary Fairio said that PNG had one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world and as an institute, NRI was taking a proactive approach in addressing the issue, resulting in the domestic violence policy, which signalled the institute’s absolute intolerance of any form of violence.
The theme of the policy launch was “Domestic Violence is everyone’s business” and Fairio said all employees had reporting and intervention obligations.
Fairio said that the policies also referenced certain legislations and policies of the Government, which included the 2013 Family Protection Act and the PNG Gender-Based Violence Strategy of 2016 -2025.
As part of NRI’s long term commitment to fighting domestic violence, employment contracts and codes of conduct will refer explicitly to the domestic violence policy.