PNG lacks trauma counselling

THERE is a lack of marriage or trauma counselling in churches or communities to mitigate sorcery accusations-related violence (SARV) and gender-based violence (GBV) in Papua New Guinea.
Advancing Papua New Guinean: Women Leaders Network chairman Ruth Kissam said the Government should compel every pastor to have a pastoral certificate to carry out counselling in communities.
“Churches that do not conduct counselling services should be terminated because GBV and SARV deal with the lives of people” she said.
Ruth said from her experience dealing with gender based violence and sorcery accusations-related violence, the issue could be caused by people who are sick spiritually.
“Churches are supposed to address the issue and help those who are sick spiritually to provide the physical counselling they need,” she said.
Kissam urged churches in the country to look at gender based violence or SARV as there were problems which could be related to the soul.
Ruth spoke at a GBV press conference between the Papua New Guinea Council of Churches and the Special Parliamentary Committee on gender based violence on Friday in Port Moresby.
National Capital District governor Powes Parkop said the lack of leadership in the national level could be a reason why women and girls continue to be harassed and mistreated daily.
Parkop said the committee was set up to address SARV and gender based violence issues but after two years, nothing had been rolled out and the strategy expires in three years.