Parkop speaks against harassment

NATIONAL Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has expressed grave concerns with the recent reported harassment of female students at the University of PNG (UPNG) last week. The harassment of four female students, saw other female students come out with their own stories of the continued harassment, verbal and physical, and how these instances had left victims intimidated and emotionally affected. A peaceful protest was staged on Tuesday morning, however, the girls were stopped from leaving the Games Village by male students who allegedly told them that “the girls were tarnishing the reputation of the male students on campus”. Parkop said the behaviour of the male students was unacceptable “in this premier learning institution of state and our country”. “The university should be a place where the cream of our nation goes and enhance their knowledge to lift our people and our country,” he said. “Such behaviour is not only repugnant to the scholarly attributes of such learning institutions but is also a breach of founding the goals and principals of our nation.” Parkop said he had expressed his concerns to UPNG Vice-Chancellor Prof Frank Griffin who started a process to address the unacceptable behaviour. “When Prof Griffin is ready, he will invite members of the Parliamentary Coalition to End GBV and Members of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV to address the student population on this serious matter.”