Sisters working on safe house for victims of violence

National

NUNS in East New Britain are establishing the first safe house for victims of violence in province.
The FMI Sisters are setting up the safe house in partnership with the Archdiocese of Rabaul, ENB Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) and Roar 4 PNG, a non-governmental organisation which supports survivors in crisis.
The safe house will provide a sanctuary for women and children who have experienced family or sexual violence. Survivors will be able to access services such as healthcare, police and legal aid.
Islands Petroleum, a key supporters of the project, donated K10,000 from the Colour Run it organised last year.
The funds will go to the construction of the safe house.
Islands Petroleum general manager Paul Bluett presented the cheque to the FMI Sisters at the Catholic Archdiocese in Vunapope last Friday.
The project began a few years ago when the ENB FSVAC decided to build a safe house as a priority for the province.
The Archdiocese of Rabaul provided land and donors have supplied shipping containers which will be used to build the safe house.
The FMI Sisters are being trained as fulltime staff, and the ENB FSVAC is working on a referral pathway network between service providers to ensure holistic care for survivors.