Critics weigh in on national haus krai cause

 By JAYNE SAFIHAO

A WOMAN yesterday said the call for action to stop violence against women was not new.

As the national haus krai gathered momentum here and overseas, Janet Krily from Okapa in the Eastern Highlands province said it was a stale idea.

“(I ask) those organising and rallying for support where will they be when another woman gets beaten, raped or killed? 

“Are they going to be there 24 hours to protect us?

“Are the police, who are the core of this problem, going to be there to help?”

Krily said women come to the police station to report their complaints, they were told to go back and solve it at home with their husbands.

“It does nothing to solve the issue of domestic violence and other serious crimes when you get turned away,” she said.

“For example, if you look overseas, there is the 911 hotline for any distress calls made. 

“The police force is equipped with the latest tracking gadgets to be there on time to save someone. 

“We need something like that so we feel safe, right now I don’t see any point in making noise. 

“We will only create further problems for ourselves.”

A Port Moresby resident who heard about the Madang walk was also skeptical.

Mitch Miria from Yule Island said it was good to see the amount of support but many of these women had ulterior motives.

She said there were too many women groups who never really linked with each other as “women are their own worst enemies”.

“I think Meri Safe houses are the only real help battered women everywhere should seek.”