Call for cooperation to help victims

PROVINCIAL health authorities and hospitals in the Highlands have been urged to establish family support centres to deal with victims and survivors of sexual violence.
This was the message to the thirty trainers and counsellors of victims of gender-based violence in the seven Highlands provinces that took part in a week-long workshop held in Mt Hagen recently.
It was said that due to the lack of such facilities, many victims of sexual violence and abuse could not be treated and counselled and resulted in them being left with life-long health conditions.
Western Highlands health authority’s population health director Dr Maddison Dat, while thanking the World Health Organisation (WHO) for sponsoring and the Health Department for facilitating the workshop, said many people in rural areas suffered in silence.
“Gender-based violence is a big issue given the environment we live in and the attitudes of people.”
Dr Dat said all stakeholders, including church health services and NGOs, needed to work together with hospitals to address the issue.
He was happy to see clinicians at the training because there was a breakdown in civil control where people did what they wanted without having any due care for others.