System not helpful: Official

 By EUNAR NOREEN KARATU 

Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSFs) operational manager Christian Katzer says PNG’s lack of protection system and its combination of formal and traditional justice are failing many women and children. 

“Our report “Return to Abuser” shows to us how a weak protection and justice system and a culture of impunity endanger the health and lives of patients even if they manage to reach medical care,” he told the media in Port Moresby yesterday.

He said victims were forced to return to their abusers. 

“Lara is a 13-year-old girl who arrived at the MSFs clinic after being raped by her uncle,” Katzer said.

“When her parents had found out about the rape, she was blamed and then beaten.”

He said she described a long history of neglect and physical abuse at the hands of her parents. She was very anxious that if she didn’t get home in time to cook dinner, she would be beaten again.

“She had thought about killing herself.”

He said MSFs staff immediately contacted the Child Welfare Services to request that they organised a Protection Order and seek official permission for Lara to be protected without the consent of her abusive parents. MSF staff were told that someone would come to the clinic to collect the girl. 

“This terrified young girl waited with MSF staff all day, but no one showed up, not a Child Protection Officer from Welfare Services or the police,” he said.

“Finally, fearing further abuse from her family, the girl returned home and refused further help.

“Child survivors like her, and even younger, are particularly vulnerable because they are unable to get medical or psychological care without a parent or guardian.

“In the case of sexual violence there is additional stigma.” 

 Katzer said these women and children are becoming ‘double victims’ suffering first from brutal attacks, and then from failures in service provision and in the protection system.