CS officers, inmates preach on violence against women

By FRANCIS POKA
THE Mercy Work Sisters in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, organised an awareness march on ending violence against women and children last Friday.
The march started at Mt Hagen International School, where people with banners and posters walked through the city, spreading the message of putting a stop to violence against women and children.
The march involved Baisu Correctional Services female officers and prisoners, school children, youths and mothers, who gathered at the Queen’s Park Oval and gave speeches and performed dramas.
The theme for the awareness “let’s challenge militarism; end violence against women” spread through the city of Mt Hagen.
The marchers were escorted by police and by the Mercy Works Sisters, a Catholic-run organisation.
School children, members of churches and youths in Western Highlands performed dramas that brought crowds to their feet.
The dramas depicted images of the situation many women and children the country faced from mainly violent men.
The Baisu female prisoners lead by acting officer-in-charge of the female wing Cpl Maria Siure, with female correctional officers who took part in performing drams of the life experiences they faced.
The inspirational live story dramas performed by the female prisoners moved the crowd to tears.
Their story was based on a young girl in Baisu prison who fought for what was rightfully hers and ended up in prison.
Siure, the narrator of the play, told the crowd that this could be happening to our children and mothers but many kept silent because of the fear of attacks by men.
She said many female prisoners who were in the prison had been victims of domestic or public violence at the hands of men.
Siure appealed to the people, especially men,  to stop violence against women.
She said they should respect women as any ordinary citizen regardless of their status and that women contributed to the development of the country.
She told the crowd violence against women sparked a chain reaction that affected children.
She said mothers often fought for their rights of welfare because men were not taking responsibility as the head of the family.
Mt Hagen district court senior magistrate Betty Jacob encouraged women to seek advice from police or the court rather than taking any rash action.
She urged women to report any mistreatment or violence against them by men at the family violence unit (police station) or court house and not to become involved in fights.