Highlands top PNG’s sorcery list

National

THE majority of sorcery accusation-based violence cases are from the Highlands, according to the Oxfam International.
Oxfam said in its report released yesterday that 232 cases were reported by its partners between 2013 and 2016.
The report said:

  • Average age of complainants facing this issue was 37;
  • Average age of the main perpetrator was 40 years of age;
  • 76.6 per cent of complainants were married, eight per cent were single and seven per cent were widows or widowers,
  • 78.3 per cent of the complainants were not formally employed, 11.1 per cent were in formal employment and 10.6 per cent were students; and,
  • In two-thirds of all sorcery-related violence cases, perpetrators were either an immediate family member or an unknown community member. Even though the number of cases is much lower than those involving physical and sexual violence, reviewing these cases specifically provides a valuable contrast and adds to the understanding of sorcery-related violence.

“Complainants reported being accused of practising sorcery and experiencing threats, damage of properties and physical violence in relation to the accusation,” the report said. “In one-third of sorcery cases, complainants said that they were living with a disability. About one-third of perpetrators recorded were in formal employment while 64.5 per cent had no formal employment.
“It needs to be noted that in most cases of sorcery-related violence, more than one perpetrator is involved. Therefore, information about the main perpetrator provides a limited understanding of cases of sorcery-related violence.”