Shine light on domestic violence

IT seems it is only days in between that a case of domestic violence breaks into news coverage, often with anguishing details and sometimes a tragic result.
Domestic violence ruins lives.
For every high-profile case, more victims die shrouded in silence and countless others endure the daily torture of not knowing when it will happen again.
Domestic violence is real.
It is not like the movies or television; it is ugly and abusive and destroys families.
It is never acceptable.
It is never justifiable.
Far too often, we as neighbours, family, friends and fellow Papua New Guineas fail to see it.
Even worse, we turn a blind eye.
It is time to shine a light on domestic violence.
And what better time than this month, October, which is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month and is marked event in some countries!
So annually, the family sexual violence action committee advocates for a nation-wide awareness campaign to end domestic violence in PNG.
Awareness is important.
We should continue to drive home the message that violence isn’t acceptable.
All of us bear a responsibility to help stop it.
If we suspect domestic abuse, we shouldn’t turn a blind eye.
But it is probably naive to believe that we can reach some of those who have turned the people they are supposed to love and nurture into their victims, into people they torment and torture for years until, perhaps, that person summons the courage and gets the help, she needs to leave.
The most twisted abusers will see this act of self-preservation, leaving, as the greatest affront and insult and won’t rest until they have finally taken everything from their victims.
As a society, we need better answers for this sort.
Domestic violence is one of the most complex and dangerous crimes in our society.
Awareness is a crucial first step to stamping it out.
Working aggressively toward legal protections should be part of the conversation too.
Regrettably, in PNG, the economic cost of domestic violence has not been documented to know how much is spent in a year.
Dozens of women have been murdered in PNG in the context of domestic violence, prompting a belated burst of national soul-searching as leaders put on the spot by demands for action struggle to rise to the challenge.
In PNG, statistics form studies conducted has shown that two in three women are victims of domestic violence.
This means that more than 80 per cent of our women are experiencing and suffering from physical, sexual and psychological violence at the hands of their partners.
Domestic violence is no longer a private matter and is a crime that is punishable by law.
Domestic violence affects the rights of individuals and restricts their access to wealth, opportunities, and privileges in the society.
It is a social injustice.
We need to make people more familiar with this problem and providing knowledge about options available to victims and their loved ones are key goals of this annual observance.
By placing domestic violence atop the national agenda, we can expose and erase the dark underside of home life, while helping victims find the warmth and optimism they deserve.