Students discuss issues affecting families

DON BOSCO Technical Institute (DBTI) students participated in a radio show on Wednesday, discussing the factors that contribute to a family being safe and happy.
‘Safe family, happy family’ was the theme of the fourth session of the National Broadcasting Corporation’s Tribe FM 92 Chat Room.
The fifth session will be hosted next Wednesday at 2:30pm with students from De La Salle Secondary School.
The programme enables young people and senior citizens alike to share thoughts on various issues that affect society.
Councillor Tessie Soi, from the Family Support Centre at the Port Moresby General Hospital, said the centre saw unhappiness in a lot of people.
She said there was a lot of abuse in families.
“This is the reality in PNG,” she said.
“I urge the victims who have this situation to hang in there.”
She also encouraged victims to report abuse and get help.
Final-year bachelor of education-technical student, George Wilson said: “A proper marriage where there is unconditional and conjugal love is the foundation to a safe and happy family.”
He said the initial stage of marriage was crucial in ensuring that a family grew to ultimately become safe and happy.
Second-year instrumentation student Jack Mingi said abuse had various forms and could affect the behaviour of family members if they were victims.
“Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or through neglect,” he said.
“They all have a negative impact on their victims, causing them to break away and isolate themselves.”
Instrumentation student, Regina Wayi, said there were good and bad sides to the use of technology.
“For instance, social media has now caused many family members to focus on it rather than focus on the person in front talking to them,” Wayi said.
“Technology has become a barrier in effectively communicating with one another.”
Student Deborah Nelson said God has to be the centre of a family in order for it to be safe and happy.
“Young people entering into marriage should be academically qualified and financially stable,” she said.