Gender-based violence laws need ‘action’

THERE are laws and penalties in place to protect victims of gender-based violence in the country, an official says.
PNG Women Lawyers Association president Pauline Toliman Mogish said what was needed was more enforcement.
“It is how we enforce and implement these laws through the respective institutions and effective processes that will ensure justice is served when a gender-based or domestic violence case is reported for the first time,” Mogish said.
She condemned the death of 19-year-old mother-of-two Jenelyn Kennedy two weeks ago allegedly after repeated beatings by her by partner who is now facing a change of wilful murder.
Mogish said sexual violence, physical violence, emotional and psychological violence, socio-economic violence and harmful traditional practices contravened human rights and the Constitution.
She said the association was reinforcing that family and sexual violence was a crime under the Family Protection Act 2013.
It applies to the family setting and penalties include a fine of K5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both. And compensation is not a defence under that law, she said.
The association recommending that a working committee with Government backing and funding set up a secretariat to drive and achieve the objectives of the PNG GBV Strategy 2016-2025 without further delay.
“This must be done before we have yet another victim succumb to death,” she said.