Call made for more family and sexual violence units

The Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) is calling on the Government to fast-track and support more units nationwide.
National programme coordinator for FSVAC, Marcia Kalinoe, said this after Police Minister Jelta Wong made a statement last week that family violence was not a problem only for the police to address.
He appealed to communities and individuals to help eradicate family violence by starting from their homes.
“We call on the police minister, the police hierarchy and the responsible agencies to fast-track the institutionalisation of FSVUs nationwide and mainstream into the bigger Royal PNG Constabulary structure,” Kalinoe said.
FSVAC supported the call to beef up anti-violence units and offered training for police personnel to be able to efficiently represent and deal with family violence issues.
Kalinoe said FSVAC was supportive of the recommendation to recognise police officers in this units, and to mobilise resources to support and roll out more units nationwide.
“This is part of the long-term plan of the initiative to set up FSVU,” she said.
“Government should take necessary action to ensure this important service is sustained throughout the police force.
“The arrangement in place within the police structure would sustain key services undertaken by FSVU officers to assist survivors of domestic or family violence in PNG.”