Debate on prostitution

The National Main Stories

By STAFF REPORTERS
JUSTICE Minister and Attorney-General Davis Steven says the position of the law on prostitution in PNG is not clear.
Steven, currently acting as prime minister while James Marape is overseas, plans to seek the advice of the State Solicitor on the matter.
“As the Attorney-General, I’m very much dependent on the State Solicitor to give me specific legal support on matters like that,” he said.
“I would reserve my comment until I check just to make sure that we are accurate in what we say about the position of the law, because we owe it to our people to be correct about the position of the law on these very important social issues.
“I don’t want to misrepresent the position of Government to mislead our people.
“So I will need time to check that out.”
He, however said that assuming there was a law against prostitution, those who breached it should expect the penalty.
“When you break the law and you are found guilty in a court, obviously you will be punished and the decision is made in court.”
Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands Bishop Rochus Tatamai told The National that life was a gift from God and no one should use it as an object to satisfy one’s pleasure and receive money for it.
He blames the current “economic crisis” as one of the reasons behind the increase in prostitution.
He said women selling their bodies for money was against the rules of the church.
“The church’s role is to promote the family and marriage.
“Once a man is married to a woman, they become one and live as a family.
“Using a person’s body as an object for pleasure shows no self-respect.
“It is against the church and us as a Christian nation.”
Last week in Parliament, Community Development, Youth and Religion Minister Wake Goi warned operators of guest houses who encourage prostitution to stop.
“I will be visiting some guest houses that are inviting prostitutes to go in and make money.
“We must make sure that they stop.”
He urged MPs to address the issue in their constituencies.
Acting secretary to the department Pala Yondi said prostitution was for “lazy people” who refused to confront the problems they were facing.
“They want an easy way out (although) knowing that the practice is illegal,” Yondi said.
He said these people suffered from abuse, assault and rape and the department was concerned about them.
But there were no laws to deal with them.
“We have the unique Melanesian way of living where people allow family members, relatives, friends and even strangers to live with them during their time of difficulty, to rebuild their lives then move out,” Yondi said.
“However, it seems many are too lazy to work.
“(They resort to) prostitution which is not good as there are human rights abuses, rapes, assaults involved in the illegal practice.
“If you bring your assault or rape case to the police, they will as ask you how did you got into trouble.
“And if you say as a result of prostitution, they will throw your case out or even charge you as the practice is illegal.”

19 comments

  • Absolutely agreed. For that’s the only way why people spread HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
    I personally would like to state my opinion, as if this government in such can implement and enforce this law so that this character should completely stop in this very Christian nation.

  • Forget about prostitution for a while and talk about important amendment of resource laws.

    Besides prostitution, and refer to Bishop Rochus Tatamai’s comment, the same understanding should be applied to paying bride price which must stop. we cannot regard woman’s body as an object so paying of bride price must stop.
    I am also against Mr. Goi’s warning to all operators of guest houses. He has no right to control or tell owners of guest houses of how they should conduct business. Prostitution is individual’s decision and choice and is nothing to do with guest house businesses. How can guest house owners stop their guest from bringing in money for their business. Mr. Goi will not help guest house owners to make money or meet the daily operation cost of guest house so he has not right to control how they make business.

  • Can not claim to be a Christian country but have laws allowing sexual immorality Can not wine and dine with GOD and satan at the same table.

  • Dead penalties, prostitution and gay marriage are all sins, according to the christian rules. If government wants to amend a law on any of these to operate, amend laws for all these threes to operate and remove the name christian country and replace it with an other name that can go well with these things while operating in the country. Otherwise amend some good laws which can benefit the all entire citizens of this country.

    For dead penalty, just give the person for life imprisonment if he/she felt guilty to deserve the dead penalty, until his/her dead comes. Only Lord God will judge him/her on the final judgement day of the Lord Juses Christ.

  • GOD ALMIGHTY DESTROYED Sodom and Gomorrah because of Prostitution, Lesbian and Gay practise.

    PNG BE CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO APPROVING SUCH HEINOUS, HORRIBLE, WICKEDLY ABOMINABLE ACTS

  • As long as Corruption exist, Prostitution will exist. Fare distribution of countries wealth will only kill prostitution. Leaders, stop using Christianity as a blanket and still practising corruption. Or else just legalise prostitution, enough of pretending to be Christians.

  • WHETHER YOU ALLOW THAT HORRIBLE ABOMINATION TO EXIST IN THE COUNTRY OR TO SAY NO TO DEFEND THE WORD OF GOD IS IN YOUR HANDS AND GOD IS WATCHING HOW YOU WILL RESPOND. YOU WILL GIVE AND ACCOUNT TO NO MAN BUT GOD TO SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO AMEND IT AS LAWS TO ALLOW PROSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY.

  • People, don’t blame the women for selling their bodies. The question goes back to why they are doing this. The government has to be partly blamed. Education system also carries some of that blame. And society as a whole is to be blamed as well, because the women only respond to certain needs and demands that exist. They sell their bodies because of cash. Some are as young as 15 years old….school girls. But they sell their bodies because their are men who are willing to pay for sex. Their are men who are not faithful to their wives. And their are wives who are not faithful to their husbands as well because even married women are involved in prostitution. It is the oldest trade in the world and will still be there even if it is outlawed be the government. And be sure that public servants and lawmakers and even our some of our very own politicians are those booking hotels rooms to have some fun with young girls. So they are wasting their time discussing it in parliament. If you outlaw it people will still do it. So best way is to legalise it and regularise it in some ways….no other way out…esp in PNG.

  • I am against Prostitution, but you can’t say it is for lazy people when the Government we work under is completely suppressive. We have one of the lowest minimum wage in the world. Price of goods and services are soaring unabated, and the only thing people can afford now are counterfeit products. The rise in crime and prostitution is directly correlated to the poor management of our economy and the lack of protection of our markets from exploitation by greedy vile foreigners. Until we as a nation protect our country and defend the self respect of Papua New Guinea only then will Papua New Guineans be evelated from their deplorable forms of living.

  • Prostitution is a seed of corruption. Every evil deed is the seed of corruption. You may ask what is corruption? Most people when hearing the word corruption, the first thing that comes in their mind are MPs stealing money from parliament. That is true, however, it is just one aspect of corruption. So then, how would you define or describe corruption? Corruption is like a virus or disease that exists within every one of us. Corruption is an idea and not a person. you can kill a person but you can not kill an idea. From the top level to the bottom level corruption is exists. in the hearts of the rich and the hearts of the poor, corruption exists. inside churches and outside churches, corruption exists. Christian or not, corruption exists. So what then?
    PNG is a Christian nation, 40 years ago.
    At this time, I honestly don’t know what PNG is anymore. let us look at some of the facts:
    1) we let other religions to come in while claiming to be Christians or of the religion Christianity.
    2) Wantok system and Nepotism
    3) Miss appropriation of funds
    4) Abuse of power and the list goes on…

    however, lately, all over the nation, there are so many cases of rape cases such as father and daughter, teacher and student, pastor and church member or priest and church member, doctor and patient, police and victim or perpetrator in custody, uncle and daughter, and even unnatural cases like a man and pig; incest, sexual harassment, etc.

    And people are responsible for their actions.
    so as an individual what can you do? well, you are responsible for your action. your choices will define you. the people that you hang around with or surround yourself with. the person that you place your trust in. your attitude towards others, towards yourself and your environment.
    prostitution is bad, but it is just a result and not permanent. it will only change if people and individuals change and start being responsible rather than pointing fingers and living under the shadow of Christianity.

  • This is not an important agenda! Can we talk about deteriorating health facilities and many more. Waste of time in Parliament to discuss projects that wont impact our lives. MPs do not know how to priorities goals with limited time and resources. Let alone what they do is their own choice. Its survival. Only if you want to open doors in your house to all of them. Cut some slacks!

  • Legalise prostitution and build bodies to regulate and support it… These bodies will be responsible for looking after the sex workers providing basic welfare needs, medical checks and protection for clients and workers both…
    This will decrease the spread of sexual transmitted infections and create employment in both administrative and practicing fields…
    We are still a developing country government provided welfare is not a luxury the less fortunate of us can have, thus alternative measures must be looked into…
    To all you so called righteous people and judgemental idiots… The kingdom of heaven belongs to people who despite being prostitutes wash the feet of Jesus and receive mercy from Yesu himself, heaven is for thieves and robbers who feel the pain of life and yet recognize Christ as the son of God… Heaven welcomes all these people so who are you people to act like the Pharisees and judge Gods children based on ur limited sinful criterias???
    If we claim to be a Christian country we should act the part too and go the full length of it.

  • we are living in a developing country and the government of the day should not talk about minor issues like prostitution,lets be open minded and focus on bringing this young nation forward.The government had failed us miserably in terms of creating job oppourtunities in the country,there are alot of degree holders roaming the streets lookng for employment.marriage will not cure lust so adultery and prostitution exists.justelgalise prostitution..

  • NO!
    PNG stands with the Bible!
    We CANNOT LEGALIZE ADULTERY, FORNICATION & OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

    THE STATED VISION FOR PNG IS TO BE THE RICHEST BLACK CHRISTIAN NATION ON EARTH.

  • Reading the article and the comments above, I didn’t see any reference to slavery. Worldwide there is a problem where parents are selling their children as sex slaves or young women (and boys) are abducted and forced into slavery. Most of this abomination is where prostitution is legalized and brothels are registered.
    Does PNG want to encourage this practice here?

  • legalizing prostitution is simply opening the floodgates of hell to to be poured on PNG. My resource book is the Bible. For those who enjoy the act of prostitution open your Bible to Deutoronomy chapter 28 and read the whole chapter and see what God talks about the blessings and Curses. It’s very interesting to note from that chapter that though you may enjoy those immorality now and say you cannot face the bad effect of it now but it will pass on to your generations to come. The very innocent children that you said you love them will bluntly bear your faults, though they do not commit it, but innocently they will bear the faults.

    Therefore, for those who are now adamant to push for legalization of prostitution read this warning from Deutoronomy chapter 28 about that warnings regarding many immoralities

  • Mr. Davis,
    God ordained the Government, He is superior than the Law of the Land.
    Our infinite mind cannot compare to the finite mind of God.

    Question: “What is positional sanctification?”
    Answer: To sanctify means to set apart as holy, which is what happens to sinners who are saved from sin by the grace of God through the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). The three “phases” of salvation are positional sanctification, progressive sanctification, and final sanctification. At the moment of salvation, we are sanctified or set apart positionally; that is, we are saved from the ultimate penalty of sin. Then begins progressive sanctification, the process whereby we are saved from the practice and power of sin. And after this physical life is over, we will be sanctified finally; that is, we will be saved from the presence of sin.

    Positional sanctification is a one-time act of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of unbelievers whom He has chosen for salvation from sin. At the moment of salvation, believers understand and acknowledge their sinful state, their inability to save themselves through any works of their own, their need of a savior, their acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross as sin’s payment, and their faith in Jesus’ resurrection. At that moment, believers are brought out of darkness into the light. Our position before God has been changed forever. No longer dead in trespasses, we are made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5). Our position changes in that we are made citizens of a whole new kingdom: “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13).

    Positional sanctification also changes our position as sinners deserving of God’s wrath to the position of beloved children of the Father and perfect in His eyes. Our new position means we are part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27); God’s special possession (1 Peter 2:9); new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17); dead to sin (Romans 6:2); and possessors of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Because salvation is an act of the Spirit, the believer’s new position cannot change, be lost, or be given back. We cannot “un-save” ourselves, nor can we alter our position before God through any of our works or the lack thereof. We are kept in the position of beloved for the rest of our lives and throughout eternity. Positional sanctification is the work of God whereby He sets us apart and considers us holy in His eyes: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Positional sanctification is not dependent on our feelings or whims; it is a fact of salvation, even though our actions on earth do not always align with our position in heaven.

    Positional sanctification inevitably leads to progressive sanctification, with good works as the inevitable result. Those who are born again will naturally begin to act according to their new nature in Christ, and the result will be increasing holiness in personal living (1 Peter 1:15–16). The positionally sanctified will be progressively sanctified by the same Holy Spirit who regenerated us in the first place. The works that God has foreordained for us will be accomplished through His power (Ephesians 2:10).

    Once we have been positionally sanctified, the process of progressive sanctification begins. Progressive sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more Christlike as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit and yield to His control (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Once we are positionally sanctified, the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to progressively sanctify us (John 17:17) so that in the end our practical holiness aligns with our positional holiness when we see Christ face to face in glory (1 John 3:2).

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