Barrick staff in family, sex violence awareness drive

 FORTY-five Barrick gold mine employees joined police and community organisations at a family and sexual violence training programme in the Porgera district.

Among those who attended were magisterial  services  staff,  village court  officials,  health  care  workers,  councillors, local  community  and business representatives.

The Barrick-initiated restoring justice initiative  (RJI)  programme included training, development and awareness about family and sexual violence.

The company was thanked by the family and sexual  violence action committee.

Projects training coordinator lsiOru said the mandate was to create a dialogue to address violence. 

“We have an integrated long-term strategy that we are using towards ending family and sexual violence in the country,” he said.

The action committee works in partnership with the PNG-Australia Law and Justice Partnership (PALJP) and the police to deliver capacity-building for the police to address issues relating to family and sexual violence.

Rather than stereo-typing or discriminating the survivor, they have to understand what the victim was going through and how they could support and provide that service through the family violence unit,” Oru said.

The training focused at creating awareness on what FSV was, its causes and impacts and the prevention and investigation of cases. 

The  training  was strongly supported  by the Paiam  Police  Station  commander lnsp  Peter  Yambun,  Highlands Commissioner of Police  Teddy Tei, PNG-Australia Law and  Justice Partnership and FSVAC.

Snr Sgt Henry Aimano from the Milne Bay police training unit delivered the training sessions.

 along with Oru,   Edwina Kotoisuva of PALJP and Sgt Punta Las.