Doctor: Phones ruining families

 By OGIA MIAMEL
Mobile phone is a contributing factor to marriage breakups, says Divine Word University rural health head of department Dr Betty Koka.
Koka said modern technology has enabled easy access to social media such as Facebook and pornography which often leads to abuse.
She said using mobile phones for wrong reasons had contributed to sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and marital problems.
Koka said abuse of power was the common factor in gender-based violence in PNG.
In one of her presentations at a recent health workshop, she said that aspects that  contributed to gender-based violence were disrespect of human rights, abuse of power and gender inequality.
She said sexual perpetrators were usually someone known to the family who abused the power of trust.
“Children will not talk openly about rape cases, especially those involving a step father or daughter, they might lie and hide things due to bribe, forced to do so by adults or threats,” Koka said.
She said special consideration should be given to children and adolescents in such cases.
There is a need for adolescent health service to  help youths and children, koka said.
“Age of consent and marriage are different, the law needs to be checked and legally clarified.”
Koka said the law was conflicting in that the consent age for sex was 16 and persons of ages up to 18 were regarded as children.