Figures for violence against women in New Caledonia have increased due to the post-riots crisis, according to local NGO SOS Violences president Anne-Marie Mestre.

Mestre has told local news media that the recent upsurge was mainly due to the riots over independence that broke out on May 13, which resulted in a rising number of jobless people due to the destruction by arson and looting of more 600 businesses.

She stressed that all ethnic communities in New Caledonia were affected by domestic violence and that the trend existed even before the riots-triggered crisis.

• READ MORE: Fiji police have ‘patriarchal mindset’, lack training over gender violence, says Ali
• Other reports on Pacific gender-based violence

New Caledonia’s domestic violence statistics are 2.5 times higher than in mainland France.

In 2023, 3012 cases were reported in the French Pacific territory, a staggering increase of some 91 percent compared to 2019, the French Auditor-General’s office reported in its latest survey published in April 2024.

New Caledonia’s curfew extended to December 2
Meanwhile, New Caledonia’s curfew introduced after the rioting remains in place until December 2, according to the latest advisory from the French High Commission.

The restrictions still include the curfew per se from midnight to 5am, and most notably the ban on transportation, possession and sale of firearms and ammunition.

Public meetings remain banned in the Greater Nouméa Area and will be maintained until December 20, when the ban will be re-assessed with a possible relaxation just before Christmas.

Although opening hours for the sale of alcohol have now returned to normal, the authorised quantity per person per day remains controlled — up to four litres of beer (under 10 percent alcohol), or two litres of wine (10 to 22 percent), or one litre of spirits (above 22 percent).

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Family members keep silent on the issue of violence in Fiji and individuals continue to be the victims, according to Jonathan Veitch, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative to the South Pacific.

While raising his concern on the issue at Nasinu Gospel Primary School on Friday, he said 83 percent of children in Fiji had reported some level of violence, either in their family or in school over the past six months.

“This 83 percent rate is far too high, and it’s not acceptable,” he said.

• READ MORE: Other Fiji reports

“The problem is that when the violence is happening, there’s kind of a curtain of silence.”

Visiting UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said although legal processes should be ensured, it was also important to acknowledge the rehabilitation process for the victim to deal with the trauma.

Speaking during a student-led press conference at Nasinu Gospel Primary School, Veitch expressed his concern about the alarming rate of violence against women and children in Fiji, whether physical or sexual.

“You (Fiji) do have high rates of violence against children,” Veitch said.

“This (83 percent rate) is far too high, and it’s not acceptable.

‘Curtain of silence’
“The problem is that when the violence is happening, there’s kind of a curtain of silence.”

He said it was common in Fiji for family members to keep silent on the issue of violence while individuals continued to be victimised.

“If that particular person has to be stopped, we have to deal with it in our village.

“So, it’s not just UNICEF and the Government; it’s also the village itself.”

Veitch said significant pillars of communities must be involved in key conversations.

“We really need to talk about it in our churches on Sundays; we have to have an honest conversation about it.

“These kids shouldn’t be hurt; they shouldn’t be punished physically.”

Multifaceted approach
He said the issue should be dealt with through a multifaceted approach.

Visiting UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell expressed similar concerns and called for a change in norms.

“It requires government leadership and good laws,” she said.

“It requires the government to come together and say that this is a priority where violence against children is unacceptable.”

She said conversations regarding the matter needed to focus on changing the norms of what was acceptable and unacceptable in a community.

“A lot of times this issue is kept in the dark and not talked about, and I think it’s very important to have those conversations.”

She said although legal processes should be ensured, it was also important to acknowledge the rehabilitation process for the victims to deal with the trauma.

She added that society played a role in condemning violence against women and ensuring they were safe in their homes and in their communities.

Russell said while most cases were directed at men, there was a need to train the mindset of young boys to change their perspective of using violence as a solving mechanism.

Sainimili Magimagi is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

My daughter came into the kitchen early today to tell me her friends were downtown in Auckland at Britomart, the transit hub of New Zealand’s biggest city, and that a construction worker had just run past them saying a man with a gun was shooting people.

I immediately swept all the online news media and saw nothing and was in the process of suggesting to her that maybe her friends were pranking her when it broke on Breakfast TV.

I know the area this shooting occurred in well — I was there a few days ago; most Aucklanders will know it as it is a vital entry point to downtown Auckland. To have a mass shooting event there is utterly outside the norm for Aucklanders.

• READ MORE:  ‘Deep sorrow’ – PM on Auckland shooting deaths, says no national security risk
• Three dead in Auckland CBD shooting, including gunman, police confirm
• Fatal Auckland shooting: How it unfolded
• World Cup opener will go ahead despite shooting
• RNZ News crisis liveblog

As the reverberations and shock ease, there will of course be immediate political fall out.

Before all that though, first, let us acknowledge the uncompromising courage of our New Zealand police and emergency services. We all saw them sprint into that building knowing someone was armed and shooting people.

I am the first to be critical of the NZ Police, but on this day, their professionalism and unflinching bravery was one of the few things we can be grateful for on such a poisoned morning.

Let us also pause and mourn the two who were killed and 10 wounded. These were simply good honest folk going about their day of work and not one of them deserved the horror visited upon them by 24-year-old Matu Tangi Matua Reid.

Now let’s talk about Matu.

Troubling pump-action shotgun access
The media have already highlighted that he was on home detention for domestic violence charges and was wearing an ankle bracelet. This is of no surprise nor shock, many on home detention have the option of applying for leave to work — we do this because those on home detention still need to pay the rent, far more troubling was his access to a pump-action shotgun he didn’t have a gun licence for.

We know he had already been in a Turn Your Life Around Youth Development Trust programme.

Political partisans will try and seize any part of his story to whip into political frenzy for their election narrative and we should reject and resist that.

The banality of evil always tends to be far more basic than we ever appreciate.

There is nothing special about Matu; he is simply another male without the basic emotional tools to facilitate his anger beyond violence. In that regard Matu is depressingly like tens of thousands of men in NZ.

His background didn’t justify this terrible act of violence today and his actions can’t be conflated to show Labour are soft on crime.

Another depressing violent male
Matu is just another depressing male whose violence he could not control. There are tens of thousands like him and until we start focusing on building young men who have the emotional tools to facilitate their anger beyond violence, he won’t be the last.

He has shamed himself.

He has shamed his family.

He has shamed us all.

Today isn’t a day for politics, it is far too sad for that, the politics will come and everyone will be screaming their sweaty truth, but at its heart this is about broken men incapable of keeping their violence to themselves.

What a sorrowful day for my beautiful city.

Republished from The Daily Blog with permission.

The Brown Girl Woke initiative hopes to continue empowering Samoan youth in fighting against the culture of silence over violence.

Founder Maluseu Doris Tulifau says it is essential to support young people in finding their voice and speaking out on these issues.

Tulifau, 29, launched the non-profit feminist organisation in the US in 2014, and used the platform to share her own experience as a survivor of violence. She worked in community development and human rights in California before moving to Samoa.

• READ MORE: Other Wansolwara student journalist reports

“I’m a survivor of sexual abuse and when I started to tell my story in America, I was already an activist promoting Pacific Islanders in higher education,” Tulifau said.

In 2018, she began the second chapter of Brown Girl Woke initiative in Samoa where she uncovered the culture of silence and factors that fueled this.

“There are many reasons a lot of us don’t reach that pedigree because of social issues, economic background and our environment around taboo issues and not speaking  out.

“I wanted to empower young women and men on these taboo issues in the community, especially on domestic violence and sexual abuse,” Tulifau said.

Suffering in silence
The organisation’s humble beginnings motivated her to create an environment of refuge for girls who were suffering in silence.

“I started Brown Girl Woke as a club university for girls to be a part of a support group, with the understanding that they would find solutions, understand patriarchy and why women don’t speak up,” she explained.

Today, Brown Girl Woke is working with primary and secondary schools to educate and create awareness on a range of social issue.

“We now run after school programmes that teach literary, safety kids, climate change, stem and more. We teach about human rights and as a feminist organisation, we also teach about systems that protect gender inequality,” said Tulifau.

“We now have two Brown Girl Woke clubs — at the National University of Samoa and The University of the South Pacific.”

The performing arts has also become a safe space for Brown Girl Woke to raise awareness and provide a voice for young people.

‘Shame or blame’
“We would conduct workshops using songs, dance, spoken word poetry and skits. This is the way to tell their story and feel safe and supported, and unmasking themselves without feeling shame or blame,” she said.

Aside from supporting those affected by violence, Tulifau and her group of activists at BGW have also been helping with a range of issues such as sexual health, youth development, mental health, as well as awareness on the representation of women in Parliament.

The teams have also helped children in intensive care, funding scholarships for undergraduate students and providing monthly groceries for families in need in the  country.

Tulifau acknowledged the many donations and contributions to their cause over the years.

Leitu Fereti of Samoa is a final-year journalism student at USP’s Laucala campus. She is also a reporter for Wansolwara, USP Journalism’s flagship student journalist training newspaper and online publication. Asia Pacific Report and Wansolwara collaborate.

Legal proceedings are expected to take place if the temporary ban on the songs of Jason Suisui — popularly known as Jayrex — is not lifted, warns his lawyer Philip Tabuchi.

“In the event this temporary ban is not uplifted [sic], our client will have no choice but to take the next most appropriate step, including commencing legal proceedings,” said senior associate Tabuchi of Young and Williams Lawyers in response to questions raised by the PNG Post-Courier in an email.

The National Censorship Office took a firm step against gender-based violence by placing a temporary ban on all songs by the popular Pacific reggae artist Jason Suisui from New Ireland following complaints of assault and ongoing emotional abuse by his partner of four years and her family.

• READ MORE: PNG’s censorship office bans Jayrex songs over partner abuse allegations

The singer had been earlier charged with causing grievous bodily harm, emotional distress and mental abuse through numerous phone calls, text message and in the lyrics of his songs.

Relatives close to the woman told the Post-Courier that she was in a fragile state and was often suicidal.

“Just like his legion of fans throughout the country, and other local artists, Jayrex was shocked to learn that the Office of Censorship had placed what they described as a temporary ban on his very passion – his music,” said his lawyer.

Following communication with the Office of Censorship on this undated temporary ban, senior associate Tabuchi said it was intended that logic and common sense would now prevail, and the temporary ban would be lifted.

“Jayrex is appreciative of the massive support he has received from all the fans throughout the country, including from other artists,” Tabuchi said.

“Thank you for all of your kind words and support,” Jayrex said through the lawyer.

“I am confident we will get through this. Bai yumi stap yet! Yumi sanap strong wantem! (We’ll stop this! We’ll stand up really strong!).”

Phoebe Gwangilo is a PNG Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

Papua New Guinea’s National Censorship Office has cracked down on gender-based violence by temporarily banning all songs by popular New Ireland artist Jason Suisui — popularly known as Jayrex — following complaints of assault and ongoing emotional abuse by his partner of four years and her family.

The Pacific reggae singer was earlier charged with causing grievous bodily harm, emotional distress and mental abuse through numerous phone calls, text messages and in the lyrics of his songs.

Relatives close to the woman told the Post-Courier newspaper that she was in a fragile state and was often suicidal.

• READ MORE: Other PNG music reports

A representative who works in the family sexual violence space described the musician’s actions as bullying, intimidation and “gaslighting”.

The representative commended the National Censorship Office for this “bold move”, saying it was hoped the office would start to curb and hold artists, musicians and content creators accountable and responsible for material, songs, videos they produced for the public.

Gaslighting is a type of emotional manipulation that results in the recipient often doubting their perception of reality and sanity — the family members complain that this is what Suisui’s songs have been doing to the woman.

Chief Censor Jim Abani said: “We have taken measures to place a temporary ban on Jason’s songs following complaints we have received from his wife, or partner.”

No immediate response
Questions sent to the country’s radio stations did not get an immediate response.

Calls made to the Kavieng police were not answered.

Censor Abani said that the complainant claimed she had been through a “lot of abuse” with Jason, with some of his song lyrics dedicated to her not helping her heal from depression.

He said as such the “publication” — of songs — produced by Jason had been found to be objectionable publications under Section 2 (1) of the Classifi­cation of Publication Act 1989.

Abani said the Censorship Office did not tolerate gender-based violence in any form, including emotional abuse as was the case with the complainant.

He added that the complainant claimed in her report to the Censorship Office that some of the songs were dedicated and she asked for Jayrex’s songs to be banned to allow her to deal with her trauma and depression.

Part of Vision 2050
“Regulation and protection of gender-discriminatory songs was part of vision 2050 that we are implementing. Putting a temporary ban on Jason’s songs is in line with the implementation of Vision 2050.”

Abani had issued directives to all radio stations and television to cease broadcasting and displaying Jayrex’s songs.

According to the statement from the Censorship Office, enforcement and compliance officers would be conducting inspections to ensure the Chief Censor’s directives were followed.

He said the ban was temporary while an investigation was underway.

A permanent decision would be made once the investigation was completed.

Phoebe Gwangilo is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

The Waigani National Court has finally handed down a ruling finding Boship Kaiwi guilty of causing the death of his wife Jenelyn Kennedy three years ago.

Despite persistent denials by Kaiwi that he had caused the death of Kennedy, he admitted to the court during the trial that he had elbowed and punched Kennedy around 18 June 2020.

Kaiwi’s defence lawyer had also argued that there was no direct evidence by the state to prove that Kaiwi had caused the death of Kennedy.

• READ MORE: Tragic life and death of Jenelyn — babysitter tells of PNG torture case
• Other Jenelyn Kennedy case reports

However, acting judge Justice Laura Wawun-Kuvi, when handing down the verdict on Thursday, ruled that the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Kaiwi had caused the death of Kennedy.

Justice Wawun-Kuvi was satisfied with the witness statements that Kaiwi actually had an abusive relationship with Kennedy and he did cause the injuries that led to the death of Kennedy.

“I’m satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant (Kaiwi) had caused the death of Kennedy,” Justice Wawun-Kuvi said in her ruling.

The judge therefore found Kaiwi guilty.

A decision on sentence will follow in the coming weeks once the pre-sentence report and other documents are presented to court recommending the type of penalty to be imposed on Kaiwi.

Kaiwi was accused of torturing and assaulting his 19-year-old wife Jenelyn Kennedy between June 18 and 23, 2020, leading to her death.

Her case became a major issue and sparked public outrage and demands for tougher action over domestic violence in Papua New Guinea.

Republished with permission.

While some women at the University of the South Pacific’s 14 campuses found working from home enjoyable during the covid-19 pandemic, others felt isolated, had overwhelming mental challenges and some experienced domestic violence, a Pacific survey has found.

Titled “University Women Remote Work Challenges”, the survey was funded by the Council of Pacific Education (COPE) and was supported by the Association of the University of the South Pacific staff (AUSPS)

The research report, released last month, was conducted by Dr Hilary Smith (an honorary affiliate researcher at the Australian National University and Massey University) for the women’s wing of AUSPS.

• READ MORE: Other Pacific gender research

“This survey confirms that many of our university women had support from their family networks while on Work From Home, but others were left feeling very isolated,” said Rosalie Fatiaki, chair of the AUSPS women’s wing.

“Women with young children had a lot to juggle, and those who rely on the internet for work had particular frustrations — some had to wait until after midnight to get a strong enough signal,” she said.

Around 30 percent of respondents reported having developed covid-19 during the Work From Home periods, and 57 percent had lost a family member or close friend to covid-19 as well as co-morbidities.

In the survey there was also evidence of the “shadow pandemic” of domestic abuse and although the reported levels were low, it was likely the real incidence was much higher, said Dr Smith.

‘Feelings of shame’
“That was because of the feelings of shame (reporting domestic violence). In the Pacific Islands families and communities tend to be very close-knit groupings,” Dr Smith said.

Only two of the 14 USP campuses in 12 Pacific countries avoided any covid-19 closures between 2020 and 2022 — the shortest closure was two days in Tokelau and the longest at the three Fijian campuses of Laucala, Lautoka and Labasa lasting 161 days.

There had been no cases on the Tuvalu campus until the second quarter of this year.

“For women who had older children they said they enjoyed the time with their families,” Dr Smith said.

“And it was more difficult for those with young families,” she said.

She stressed the importance of being careful with the survey in relation to domestic violence.

“With this kind of survey, we had to be a little bit careful. We can’t say we got evidence of how much there is because it is a very tricky thing to survey and especially in this kind of survey,” Dr Smith said.

‘Sensitive issue’
“And because it is a sensitive issue and people tend not to identify and it is something that people tend to be ashamed about pretty much.

“The survey was totally confidential, and we set it up so no one would who the respondents were.

“It was impossible to find out through the ANU programme we used.

“But the fact people did give some evidence then I think that we know that it is actually quite significant, and we assumed that the prevalence was quite higher.”

She said that she was not saying there were more incidents, but from media reports, particularly in Fiji, she had suspicions that it was higher than reported in the survey.

“We were responding to the fact that there were other news reports in Fiji we referenced, and there has been the other report by the UN (United Nations) women about it,” she said.

The report “Measuring the Shadow Pandemic – violence against women during Covid-19” was released by the UN in December 2021 and the Violence Against Women Rapid Gender Assessments (VAW RGA) were implemented in 13 countries spanning all regions — Albania, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Nigeria, Paraguay, Thailand and Ukraine.

There was general support of national statistical offices (NSOs) or national women’s groups and funding from the policy and Melinda Gates Foundation, which found an incidence of 40 percent of reported domestic violence.

‘There in Pacific”
“So, we weren’t saying that it was more than in other countries, but we were saying it was there in the Pacific.

“It could be more, or it could be less but because the evidence had been already highlighted in Fiji, we were just picking up on that.”

AUSPS had specifically asked for it to be followed up because of “widespread murmuring” that domestic violence was occurring.

“My colleagues at USP had indicated they wanted to follow it up because they had heard that it was an issue for some women,” Dr Smith said.

In her recommendations she had suggested counselling for women and a safe space on campus, but she was unsure if it would be acted on.

Limited counselling
There was limited counselling available already and some had suggested that it should be done through religious denominations, she said.

She said internationally people had struggled with mental health issues during the pandemic, so it was common to all communities.

“There was a relatively high incidence in Fiji, and we reported the findings from the survey,” Dr Smith said.

Among the recommendations for support during isolation was the setting up of a helpline and regular calls from senior personnel and support staff.

She said even if this pandemic had passed there were other events like natural disasters, politics, and wars to be mindful of.

“Human-made or nature-made or the prevalence of other pandemics, we are basically saying the university should be prepared,” Dr Smith said.

The son of Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is facing criminal charges in Australia over domestic violence-related allegations.

Meli Bainimarama, 36, was charged in the Windsor Court in Sydney with 17 offences related to domestic violence, including five charges of assault resulting in bodily harm, stalking, common assault, and destroying or damaging property.

The offences alleged happened between February and May of 2022 in Sydney.

Meli Bainimarama was arrested in Queensland last week and extradited to New South Wales the next day.

He was granted bail.

An interim suppression order, granted last Saturday, was lifted today.

Meli Bainimarama did not appear in person and his lawyer appeared via audio link.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

About 100 people have marched in the New Caledonian capital of Noumea to protest against what they see as government inaction to curb violence against women.

The rally was called by the group Women in Anger just days after the latest killing of a woman at the hands of her partner.

The marchers went from the seat of government to Congress and to the French High Commission to deliver a letter calling on support for their cause from France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron.

• READ MORE: Valentine Holle : ‘On a l’impression que dans ce pays, les femmes sont là pour se faire tuer’ – Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes
• Other reports on Pacific domestic violence

March organiser Valentine Holle told La Premiere television she wanted the government to come up with a feasible plan of action.

“We need to change the tribal laws and traditional rules and we need the French state to acknowledge these issues. We also need the French state to seat themselves around the table with civil society and discuss a viable solution,” Holle said.

The weekend march was the second such protest in Noumea in less than a month and follows another rally earlier this year.

In mid-July, a 35-year-old woman was killed in Noumea.

Seven times higher than France
Crime figures released for New Caledonia show that last year the incidence of domestic violence was seven times higher than in mainland France.

The statistics released by the French High Commission show the number of reported incidents had grown by 13 percent from 2020.

Reports of sexual violence had increased by more than 30 percent.

The report shows that abuse of alcohol and drugs is frequently linked to violent offending.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Papua New Guinea’s police commissioner, David Manning, addressing the International Women’s Day celebrations this week, let it be known that violence against women is becoming a serious disease.

Yes, we agree. It is a growing threat to women and children, family unity and community harmony.

On the same token Sir, may we also point out that some of the women and children that suffer from this disease actually live in the confines of police, army and correctional service barracks.

• READ MORE: Other reports on PNG police violence

The wives of soldiers, cops and warders are not immune to this disease. Most, if not for Tik Tok, suffer silently.

It is a national disease that needs to be addressed at all levels in our country. And the country’s security forces better start taking this message seriously. Violence against police wives must stop, must desist against army wives, and cease against CS wives.

Peace and family harmony must be restored in your homes before you go out and deal with the bigger picture in the community. You might think your uniform gives you ultimate power over your wife but your wives are the custodians of your homes and children.

Respect your wife and treat her well. If your home is safe and secure, your commitment and focus on delivering law and order to all corners of the country will be fulfilled peacefully.

Expressing disgust at thuggery
This week, we join the public in expressing our disgust at continued violence and thuggery by police against members of the public.

This in itself is another serious disease that you mister commissioner, need to stamp out. When violence continues unabated, it goes to show that something is wrong, some of the practices and procedures you are putting in place, are weak and unworkable.

A young man, the son of a cop, in the prime of his life, almost had his life snuffed out by three allegedly drunk cops on February 27.

These Fox Unit policemen were arrested on Wednesday and charged with the cowardly attack on schoolboy Samuel Naraboi that left the 20-year-old in a coma at the Intensive Care Unit at the Port Moresby General Hospital for a week.

Realising they were wrong and there is no escape for them, they surrendered to their commander and were brought in and processed.

As the NCD and Central Divisional Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr lamented: “For this incident, whatever the circumstances were, the level of injury inflicted on the young man is not warranted at all and this is way beyond.

“I would also like to make it known that this does not reflect the majority of hardworking police personnel. Police have been constantly reminded about ethical conduct and performing duties within the rule of law.

‘Rebuilding public confidence’
“We are trying our best to rebuild public confidence in the Constabulary, and such action by individuals only hinders the progress.”

The last sentence catches our eyes and ears and we agree with your commander Wagambie Jr. A few rotten apples are dragging down the police force.

The majority of sworn-to-oath hardworking policemen and women are getting the flack for the bad deeds of a few rotten cops.

You need to put your big foot down Commissioner. We suggest, you sack every violent rotten cop who doesn’t understand their roles and responsibilities in policing, law and order.

They are the ones bringing the force into disrepute.

This PNG Post-Courier editorial was published on 10 March 2022. The original title was Violence in any form is a serious disease. Republished with permission.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has criticised the circumstances which led to last week’s resignation of the new French police commander in New Caledonia, Colonel Eric Steiger.

RNZ News reports that Steiger resigned after public anger in New Caledonia over a report by French media that he had been convicted for domestic violence.

Political leaders across the spectrum and women’s groups had urged Paris to recall Steiger.

• READ MORE: Other New Caledonia reports

Among critics was Sonia Backès, president of the Southern Province local government, who said on Facebook that Steiger’s appointment was ‘incompatible” with the position.

“In a country where 22 percent of women are victims of violence, and where the institutions have placed the fight against intra-family violence as a territorial issue, the decision to change the head of the gendarmerie in New Caledonia should be made without hesitation,” she said.

Colonel Steiger, who was recently appointed to head the archipelago’s gendarmerie, was convicted on appeal on May 28, 2021, for “willful violence against a spouse”.

In a televised comment, minister Darmanin said he was opposed to witchhunts which had made the commander the “target of a cabal”, noting that Steiger was not jailed.

On appeal, Steiger’s suspended prison sentence was converted into a 6000 euro fine.

Admitted the facts
In February 2020, Steiger had been sentenced to six months suspended prison sentence but had appealed.

During the second trial, Steiger admitted the facts and declared “his behavior towards his wife had been violent and he wanted to recognise his responsibility”.

The General Directorate of the National Gendarmerie told the French investigative website Mediapart the circumstances were a “painful context of separation of the couple after 20 years of living together”.

Steiger’s former wife Marlène Schiappa told Mediapart reporter Pascale Pascariello she questioned how a violent man could be given such a position in New Caledonia.

According to The Pacific Newsroom, she graphically described Steiger’s verbal humiliation and physical violence which saw the eldest daughter of the couple forced to intervene to protect her mother, as she would confirm during the investigation.
Colonel Steiger’s lawyer, Thibault de Montbrial, told the website “there was violence but no beatings, otherwise the sentence would have been different. Eric Steiger is not a “slugger of women”.

Minister Darmanin said a new commander would be appointed soon.

Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guineans who continue to commit crimes under the pretext of “sorcery” must be arrested and charged by police.

Marape was responding to questions asked by The National in relation to the death of Mary Kopari who was killed by an angry mob over allegations of sorcery in Margarima, Hela.

“People shouldn’t be killing women or girls over sorcery, as far as Papua New Guinea is concerned,” he said.

• READ MORE: Protect women accused of ‘sorcery’ and punish attackers, watchdog tells PNG
• ‘It gives us nightmares,’ says PNG police officer dealing with domestic violence

“Killing someone accused of sorcery is illegal, so police should be doing their job.

“We discourage anyone from killing another over sorcery, if you feel that someone has caused an offence, there are appropriate charges to be laid against that person”

The special Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based Violence chairman, Charles Abel, has written a letter to Police Commissioner David Manning requesting for information on actions taken over:

• sorcery accusations related killing in Hela; and
• the systematic police response to sorcery accusation-related violence.

Information needed by Monday
Abel said the information must be provided to the committee secretariat no later than Monday.

Hela police have told The National that eight suspects were identified in the horror torture and killing.

Officer-in-charge of Hela CID Sergeant Daniel Olabe said after the killing that there had been a confrontation between the woman’s family and the husband’s family.

“From the video, we have identified eight men who tortured the woman.”

However, no charges have yet been made.

Republished with permission.

“We take the pain and problems of victims home and it gives us nightmares many times.”

A police woman serving at the Family Sexual Violence Unit (FSVU) of the Papua New Guinea’s Waigani police station in the capital Port Moresby has shared her experience of how officers deal with victims being thrown out of homes, bashed up, marital affairs and other domestic-related issues faced with their partners.

First Constable Mary Louise Avu said many officers took the burden of victims of gender-based violence home and it had affected them mentally, reports the PNG Post-Courier.

• READ MORE: Protect women accused of ‘sorcery’ and punish attackers, watchdog tells PNG

“I am sleeping and in the middle of the night, a woman is calling me and crying over the phone begging for help,” she said.

“I can hear her being beaten up and when I call the support unit to assist us, no one is answering the phone or no vehicle and I don’t sleep. I stay up thinking of what the woman is going through.

“At that point, all we can do is advise the victim to seek safety and wait for the next day for police assistance.

“We try our best to help them. We wipe tears with them, feel their pain and carry the burden with them.

‘It isn’t easy’
“It isn’t an easy job when you see these women seeking help,” she said.

The public was good at giving negative comments about the work of the police but many of them did not know the real people behind the work.

She said there were policemen working hard to keep the community safe for everyone to walk freely — policemen were mentally defeated daily by people they protected.

At least 30 to 40 fresh cases of domestic violence were reported daily with the special unit at police stations around the city.

The Waigani FSVU office was looked after by six officers with eight cases being handled by each officer daily.

This statistics showed that more than 40 cases were registered by victims throughout the suburbs as far as 9-Mile, Erima, and Wildlife leaving their nearest station to come to being Waigani.

First Constable Avu said the victims travelled from outside areas to the station because of the effective results and the work the unit officers did.

‘Many prosecutions made’
“Many cases are handled and prosecutions are made,” she said.

She said despite the issues faced by officers such as the ink running out for the printer to non-availability of vehicles for arrests, they continued to work.

“One of the biggest problems now is the court system. We are preparing all the paper work and prosecuting the perpetrator but many have been released because they plead to the court that they are first time offenders thus the courts are lenient on them,” she said.

Const Avu said the court gave a three-month good behaviour bond which was not enough.

“Those three months should be served in prison. Many perpetrators are let off and continue to harass their partners,” she said.

Republished with permission.

Much of archipelagic Fiji was forced indoors by lockdowns and a nationwide curfew in March last year when the country recorded its first case of covid-19.

The quick and decisive action by legislators was successful in helping contain the spread of a highly contagious virus and received international praise.

But in other ways, the policy has scarred the country.

• READ MORE: Other Fiji covid-19 reports

Civil society groups say that social isolation and confinement is proving far more dangerous for many of the country’s women than the deadly virus stalking the outdoors.

Activists and non-government organisations report a “concerning increase” in violence against women and girls since the pandemic began in a country where rates of domestic violence were already among the highest in the world.

“It [the pandemic] has definitely increased [violence against women] compared with 2019 and last year – the frequency and intensity has increased,” says Shamima Ali, the coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC).

“The beatings are getting really bad too – there is punching and kicking, which was always there but also the use of weapons such as knives and cases of forced prostitution of women and children.”

Among highest violence rates
The Pacific region, home to just 0.1 percent of the world’s population, has some of the highest rates of violence against women and girls globally.

On average, 30 percent of women worldwide experienced some form of physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner before the pandemic, according to the United Nations.

The figure was twice as high in Fiji, where some 64 percent of women said they had been the target of some form of abuse. The numbers were similarly high in other Pacific nations, including Kiribati (68 percent), Solomon Islands (64 percent) and Vanuatu (60 percent).

Although there have been no studies yet to determine the full scale of Fiji’s post-covid-19 domestic violence, the feedback from women’s groups, coupled with trends seen overseas, indicate a grim situation, fuelled by the rise in unemployment and poverty that have accompanied the pandemic.

Experts describe the trend as a ”crisis within a crisis” and warn that unless urgent action is taken, the social fabric of the region is at risk.

The FWCC’s toll-free national helpline recorded a 300 percent increase in domestic violence-related calls one month after curfews and lockdowns were announced, including 527 in April, 2020, compared with 87 calls in February and 187 in March.

While the lockdown has been eased, the curfew – from 11pm until 4am each night – remains in force.

‘Shadow pandemic’
The UN reports that all types of violence against women and girls intensified worldwide during the pandemic, labelling it the “Shadow Pandemic”.

Ali says the root cause for the violence is a pervasive culture of patriarchy and entrenched attitudes across Fijian society in which women are viewed as “second-class citizens”.

“And then you add on the issues of religion, which is very patriarchal also. We have a deep belief and reverence for religion and it is often used to keep women oppressed,” Ali said.

These pre-existing domestic violence triggers have been exacerbated by the pressures inflicted by the pandemic’s socioeconomic impacts.

With a population of 900,000, Fiji is the Pacific’s second-largest economy and a popular tourist destination.

The decline in international travel and the subsequent collapse of global tourism led to more than 115,000 job losses in the country, as well as an overall economic contraction of 21 percent in 2020.

The effect has been greatest in the western part of the country, which relies most heavily on tourism, which has international hotel chains such as the Marriott Fiji Resort, Sheraton Fiji and Radisson Blu Resort.

Stress of job losses
Sashi Kiran, founder and director for the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND) in Fiji, says men were finding it difficult to deal with the stress of job losses, which was leading to family violence and other social issues.

The combination of unemployment-related stress and social confinement, compounded by women’s lack of access to the formal justice system, has created the perfect conditions for violence to thrive, she says.

Nalini Singh, executive director of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM), says the rise in violence was not unexpected. Previous crises have tended to disproportionately affect women and girls, she notes.

“It’s a great concern for us because violence against women and girls is already a shadow pandemic in Fiji; covid-19 only makes the situation worse,” Singh says.

Rajni Chand, the board chair of FemLINK Pacific, a feminist regional media organisation working with rural women, said social isolation was “increasing and intensifying” violence inside homes.

“The woman is socially isolated, and in a ‘lockdown’ at home and the perpetrator is also in the same ‘lockdown’,” she says.

The violence women and girls experience at home is also detrimental to their economic and political participation, in a region where women are historically underrepresented in both these sectors.

‘Shocking levels’ of violence
A 2015 paper on Domestic Violence and its Prevalence in Small Island Developing States found that the cost of domestic violence to the Fijian economy was 6.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

More recently, a report by the National Democratic Institute found that the “shocking levels of violence” in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands hindered women’s participation in politics.

National and regional governments, as well as civil society organisations, have launched various initiatives to tackle the issue.

In 2018, the European Union, Australian Government, United Nations, the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat launched a 22.7 million euro (US$27.5 million) Pacific Partnership to End Violence against Women.

The key outcome of the five-year project is to promote gender-equitable norms through education to prevent violence against women and girls, as well as empower civil society at the national and regional level.

Patriarchal attitudes
Fiji’s Ministry of Women is also holding national consultations to develop a “whole-of-government and whole-of-community” National Action Plan to prevent violence against women and girls.

But the post-covid-19 surge has added to the pre-existing challenges, with calls for these initiatives to incorporate a more holistic approach in the wake of the pandemic and its gender-specific impacts.

“At the moment, there’s a lot of emphasis on reviving the economy rather than continuing with the work that was put in place before the pandemic,” says Shamima Ali of the FWCC.

“Fiji is very lucky to have a robust feminist movement and we’re raising our voices to ensure women are included in economic planning but other countries [in the region] don’t have that.”

Ali adds that Fiji has a number of pieces of progressive domestic violence legislation, including the Domestic Violence Restraining Order and No Drop Policy, which means that authorities will investigate even if a woman withdraws the case or there is a reconciliation.

“These legislations do work in many cases; but they also don’t work due to the attitudes of the implementers,” she says.

“There’s a lot of talk saying the right things but how it actually plays out in the system – the courts, police stations and medical services – is very different and does not often protect women.”

FWRM’s Nalini Singh says a long-term solution is needed to address the root cause of gender-based violence – patriarchal attitudes – and encourage men to change their attitudes and behaviour.

“There is a need to allocate specific resources during the pandemic to deal with domestic violence,” Singh says.

“The battle is still ongoing.”

Sheldon Chanel is a Fiji-based journalist who contributes to Asia Pacific Report. This article was originally published by the Al Jazeera English here. It has been republished with the permission of the author and AJ English.

Protesters in Papua New Guinea and on social media have launched calls for tougher laws to protect women and girls from gender-based violence and brutality after the torture and death of a 19-year-old mother of two this week.

The death of Jenelyn Kennedy on Tuesday after six days of torture, allegedly by her partner Bosip Kaiwi – who is now in police custody charged over her killing – has shocked the nation.

READ MORE: The harrowing picture that tells a thousand words about tragedy

Papuan New Guinean women “are as good as dead” when they become “victims of DV (domestic violence)”, said one social media writer who penned an open letter in protest to Prime Minister James Marape.

The poster, Melanie Palili, wrote:

“Dear Mr Prime Minister James Marape

“Knowing that the system has failed Jenelyn Kennedy, the latest victim of domestic violence, is enough to know that all PNG women are good as dead if and when they become victims of DV.

“There is an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness right now!!

“How do you expect Papua New Guinean women to live your vision to take back PNG and make it a rich nation when you have a system that is not working effectively to protect lives that are equally important as men, lives that also contribute to nation building.

“It is too late to protect Jenelyn now, but I hope Jenelyn’s case will bother you enough to intervene and give her the justice she deserves and protect lives of every other women who are being abused.

“Mr Prime Minister, the first national goal or directive principle as outlined in our Constitution states that “every person to be dynamically involved in the process of freeing himself or herself from every form of domination or oppression so that each m

an or woman will have the opportunity to develop as a whole person in relationship with others”.

“Create that environment for us. Let every Papua New Guinean woman have a voice in this country!!”

A police statement today denied social media postings and rumours claiming that the suspect in Kennedy’s killing had been released on bail.

“[The suspect] was formally arrested and charged and will appear in court on Monday, 29th June 2020, to ensure his warrant is issued for transfer to CS Bomana.

“We would like to put to rest certain posts being shared on Facebook that the suspect has been granted bail. Police have no jurisdiction to grant bail for such serious cases. Only the courts do.

“Senior officers have physically checked and confirmed that Mr Bosip Kaiwi is in police custody, locked up in a holding cell at Boroko Police Station.”

In an ununusual step, the police also released images of Kaiwi being held in the cells at Port Moresby’s Boroko Police Station.

The death of Jenelyn Kennedy follows a spate of gender-based violence cases in Papua New Guinea, including elite PNG athlete Debbie Kaore, who was brutally assaulted by her partner in front of her children.

Below is a slightly edited version of the defence that Rebecca Kuku posted on her Facebook account in response to criticisms of her and The National and which she subsequently removed. The Pacific Media Centre’s Asia Pacific Report is republishing this with the permission of Rebecca and her editor, Christine Banian Pakakota, as an example of courageous journalism in the public interest. – Asia Pacific Report Editor

COMMENT: By Rebecca Kuku in Port Moresby

Thank you to all those media experts, lawyers – and just about everyone who found the time in their busy schedules – to call me up in the newsroom, send an email or message me about the report and the picture of a young mother, Jenelyn Kennedy, on today’s The National newspaper. Even a Papua New Guinean student lawyer in Australia sent a complaint from her law firm to my editors.

And yes, I know it was unethical, it was distressing and graphic but her story needs to be told and what better way to do it than in a picture because a picture is worth a thousand words.

READ MORE: Tragic life and death of Jenelyn – babysitter tells of PNG torture case

Besides I had gained permission from her family, both the maternal and paternal sides.

And yes, I knew I’d be trashed. I’m not new to the industry or the criticism but you see, yesterday [Thursday], sitting in that press conference, I was torn between sobbing out loud or just punching a wall.

It was nearly deadline for the newspaper and so I made my excuses and left to go back and file …

Then I ran back up to the room and asked the family if I could use that picture. I told them straight, that it would be graphic and gruesome and against media ethics but people needed to see it for themselves to really know what she had been through and the family gave me permission to use it.

So you see, sometimes we have to make decisions that go against ethics – hard decisions. And I thank my chief editor Christine Banian Pakakota, editor Gynnie Kero and assistant editor Charles Moi for always backing me up. For making that call, that decision to have it published.

At the end of the day, it was an editorial decision and credit must go back to chief editor Christine Pakakota for making the decision to publish the picture.

Teamwork at the Big Red House
I filed it but she made the brave decision to run it! It was teamwork and that is why I am always proud to be a part of the Big Red House (The National)

I know it was a hard decision to make and so thank you.

Her story needed to be told – as a reporter, a woman, a mother, a sister, I failed to be her voice when she was alive and I’d be damned if I would fail her now in her death. Her voice needs to be heard and that picture was used to ensure her voice was loud and clear and to also awaken the authorities who seem to be sleeping, to open their eyes to the realities of gender-based violence (GBV).

Men who beat their wives can see that picture and start realising that one day they too might beat their wives to death, women who are still trapped in violent marriages can see that picture and feel empowered to leave because I’m sure no women would want to die like that.

It was a wake up call for citizens to realise the horrific realities of GBV so they can check on their daughters, sisters or freinds and help them get out before it’s too late, and so much more.

So you see. You can say all you want to say, and email, call or text… but I will stand by my decision to file that picture with the story and defend it – because it’s about time!

By Rebecca Kuku in The National

The battered body of young mother Jenelyn Kennedy lay in a morgue yesterday as relatives told of the repeated beatings she had been receiving in the past five years which had been reported to police.

Grandfather Kennedy Karava said Jenelyn had last week been subjected to another six days of beating.

She finally collapsed at the home she shared with her partner at Korobosea in Port Moresby early Tuesday morning.

Her partner was charged with wilful murder yesterday.

Karava said Jenelyn was only 15 and doing Grade Seven at the Eki Vaki Primary School when her father gave her a house in downtown to live in. She eloped with her partner in late 2015.

“We started looking for her. My son heard that they were living at 6-Mile. He lodged a complaint with the 6-Mile police station as she was under age,” he said.

“But at the police station, the officer told [my son] to come back the next day. He released Jenelyn and the partner. The next day, my son and I went to the police station and waited untill afternoon. The police station commander referred us to the Sexual Offence Unit at the Boroko police station.”

He said they were told to leave their contacts with police and that “they would get back to us”.
Jenelyn and her partner disappeared in 2016.

“We went back a couple of times to the police station but they said the same thing: leave a number and will call you back,” he said.

Last year, Jenelyn managed to run away from her partner and returned to her maternal family at the Murray Barracks – “with her two babies, a broken arm and a black eye”.

Uncle Dickson Karava said the partner came and took her back, and “beat her up”.

“Every time we tried to intervene, she would stop us, saying he had the money and connections and would just make her life worse.”

Her children’s babysitter, Racheal Ipang, said when she returned to her partner in October last year, “he was good to her for a week, then beat her up again”.

Ipang said Jenelyn wasn’t allowed to leave her room.

“Jenelyn sought help, went to the safe house at Ela Beach, at Kaugere, at Erima, but it was no use.”

Ipang told of how last Thursday [June 18] he had assaulted her too before turning to Jenelyn again.

“We were inside the kids’ room when I started hearing Jenelyn’s muffled cries, the noise of chains and banging on the door.

“I was scared too. There were five men in the house too but they didn’t intervene.

“He beat her from last week Thursday to Monday morning when he called for a doctor [named] to treat her at home.”

She said after the doctor left, he beat her again.

“Her screams stopped at around 3am [Tuesday]. I believe that’s when she passed away.”

Journalist Rebecca Kuku has a special Facebook page called Becky’s World where she discusses GBV issues.

#IMayHaveOnlyOneMatchButICanMakeAnExplosion
#BigRedHouse
#JusticeForJenelyn
#LetHerVoiceBeHeardNow

Jenelyn Kennedy eloped with her partner at a tender age of 15, bore him his first child at age of 16, and died at age 19 – allegedly at the hands of the very person she thought she loved and would take good care of her.

It’s a tragedy no parent would want to share.

Horrifying details have been revealed about this week’s cruel death of a Papua New Guinean teenager that has shocked a nation.

READ MORE: Prime Minister Marape – this is not a Melanesian thing

Jenelyn Kennedy’s close friend and babysitter, Rachael Ipang, has talked to EMTV News about the tragedy.

She has told how Jenelyn silently suffered torture allegedly at the hands of the father of her two children and died a painful death – and not even the five young men alleged to have lived in the house at the time could stop this.

Jenelyn Kennedy eloped with her partner in 2016 and her grandfather and uncle searched for her everywhere. When they found her and reported this to police, no action was taken.

She was taken away as his wife.

Broken arm, bruised face
She never returned home until October last year with a broken arm and bruised face.

Her uncle Dickson Karava, who had searched for her when she first eloped, said when Jenelyn returned home in October, she had with her two babies and there was not much he could say.

He said he just hugged her and took her in.

But she returned to the partner and had escaped three times since then and she had been taken to safe houses in different parts of Port Moresby.

When told to report the matter to the police, Jenelyn usually discouraged her uncles from trying.

Uncle Sepoe Karava said she told them that the partner’s family had got “long hands”. They had their own police and soldiers and said even if the matter was reported, no action would be taken.

The only person who witnessed her life with the partner was the babysitter, her childhood friend Rachael Ipang.

Tears over final moments
Ipang recounts the final moments with late Jenelyn and sheds a few tears.

She alleged the partner had five chains in the room, had tied Jenelyn up and used pliers, screwdrivers, bottles, and knives to torture her.

Her death allegedly resulted from the torture that started last Thursday with non-stop beatings, all done in closed doors.

While a private doctor was called to the house on Monday, no alarms were even raised by this doctor. She attended to the victim and left, said the babysitter.

Jenelyn succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of Tuesday morning. That is when the beatings stopped and no noise came from the room, according to Ipang.

Prime Minister James Marape has called for “effective prosecution” for the killing of an “innocent beautiful girl”, reports PNG Post-Courier.

‘Don’t hide behind culture’
“I call for all witnesses of crime, including domestic violence, don’t hide behind culture, compensation and tribal embrace, let us all assist prosecuting lawlessness and violence.”

Marape said no amount of compensation would cover the death but justice must be served.

“I offer my sympathies to the family of the innocent beautiful child,” he said.

The postmortem of Jenelyn Kennedy took place today at the Erima Funeral Home.

Bhosip Kaiwi, who was in police custody, has been charged with one count of wilful murder.

The charge does not allow for bail, and Kaiwi will have to apply for bail in the National Court. Other charges are expected, police said.

The Pacific Media Centre has a partnership with EMTV News.

There has been shock and revulsion in Papua New Guinea after a video emerged of a military officer beating his partner with a hot iron and headbutting her in front of her children.

Second Lieutenant Murray Oa has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Debbie Kaore, a PNG rugby rep and Pacific Games boxing gold medallist.

When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced extending the New Zealand lockdown to past ANZAC weekend, she mentioned “co-morbidities” among parts of the population – particularly Māori and Pasifika.

She was not wrong, concern has come from the Fijian, Samoan, Tongan, and Niuean communities over the health of the elderly and the immuno-comprised to Covid-19 as a representation of Pasifika from a group of community leaders and doctors said so.

While they have all said their communities have been coping well, there are concerns for the elderly and infirmed.

READ MORE: PM says ‘devastating’ Māori, Pasifika inequalities factor in lockdown move

“Very concerned with winter approaching. In a way the lockdown may have been good for them allowing their families who would normally be at work or away to be present,” said Dr Siro Fuatai of the Samoan community.

“They are getting good social care but are missing out on some of their medical care due to the absence of face-to-face consultations with doctors.

“However, we are trying to get families to utilise our video consulting which may be good for these folk.

“Also, families are hesitant to bring them in when needed but we have informed people that as long as they let us know there are steps in place to review their elderly folk it is going to be okay,” Dr Fuatai added.

Staying in their bubble
Tongan community leader Melino Maka said people understood the meaning of staying in their bubble.

“Some of them tell me they have found a cure from social media. I tell them, please don’t tell me anything about what you have picked up from social media – go to the official sources,” he said

He has a radio show on Tongan Dateline every day through the week and he warned not to follow inaccurate “fake news” on social media that speaks of “cures”.

His advice was for the Tongan community to go to official sources like covid19.govt.nz

He said education was equally important for the people because they were so prone to social media.

As Auckland councillor for Manukau Efeso Collins said: “What we’ll probably face soon is those people who have been made redundant.

“There has been a number of community groups where people can get food parcels.

Real impact to show soon
“That has been really helpful, but the real impact will start to show over the next few weeks,” he predicted.

“When you don’t have enough income coming in you aren’t able to store and for many of our communities, they couldn’t panic buy.

“People have become a lot more trusting since there is a lot more testing stations in South Auckland.

“We are very aware of our older communities because they are the ones with pre-existing conditions, and we want to make sure they are safe,” he said.

“We’re trying to encourage them to stay in their bubble, and that is still difficult because we still have a number of grandparents who think it is okay to go out and visit the kids.”

“Unfortunately, my mother was standing outside our door the other day wanting to visit her granddaughter because we’ve just had a baby about six weeks ago.

“So we had to say, ‘oh, sorry mum just for everyone’s safety let’s just follow the rules’,” he said.

Danger of moving levels
He said part of the danger of moving out of level 4 was that “our parents were now starting to get the message home – everyone has to stay in their bubble”.

As Dr Fuatai said: “Most of the Samoan community have been very respectful of the regulations and adhering to the rules, maybe too much as some didn’t realise it was okay to do stuff for the elderly.”

A similar sentiment was echoed by Dr Apisalome Talemaitoga of the Fijian community.

“Everyone understands you need to stay in your bubble,” he said.

“Although, a very foreign concept to Fijians – to not be able congregate, visit each other for a cuppa, go to church, attend funerals and share a bowl of kava, people have found ways to interact online, by phone and social media.

“Like everyone else, the Fijian community is looking forward to the reduction of levels and restrictions when it happens.”

He was worried about old people and people with co-morbidities being at high risk.

Change to media messaging
“This is something we had to change with our media messaging,” said Dr Talemaitoga.

“We have heard of Pacific people arriving at Middlemore Emergency Department in an extreme state or children being quite unwell because parents thought that taking them ‘outside their bubble’ may cause them to be infected with coronavirus.

“We needed to say repeatedly with our messages to call doctor or Healthline for advice.”

And Dr Colin Tukuitonga of the Niuean community has been providing information to the Niuean community since Day One.

“Think they have a good understanding of it all. Many are following the lockdown rules,” he said.

“They are mostly worried about the old people being at high risk.”

However, the bigger problem was domestic violence due to loss of a jobs.

Some groups stressed
“Certain groups get stressed for financial reasons, they have been out of employment for a long time and they’ve suddenly got a job and all of a sudden they can suddenly pay their bills…they then just as suddenly find themselves out of a job and they need financial support,” Melino Maka said of the Tongan community.

And as Efeso Collins said of the Samoan community: “We definitely know from a lot of our families who are communicating with us there has been a lot of pressure in the house.

“And so we seeing an increase in reporting both in families and people connecting with others in Church and referrals of people to social agencies,” he said.

“Its really okay for mostly the men in our families to say it’s okay we are going to get through this.

“Once people have been made redundant or on 80 percent of income that is going to put real stress on families. Many of the arguments that are happening are finance related,” he said.

“We need people to see if our brothers are doing okay and friends to check if they are okay,” Collins added.

Melino Maka was waiting for some data as anecdotally he had been told there had been an increase.

No hard data
“There has been no hard data to support this and we won’t know until the lockdowns are lifted,” he said.

And Dr Talemaitoga said the Counties Manukau police have reported an increase in violence.

“Yes, Counties Manukau Police have seen a slight increase in domestic violence. Women’s Refuge has noticed an increase in demand for housing,” he said.

“Paediatricians at the hospitals explain they are concerned as they have lost the ‘safety net’ of structures/workers that often refer in children suspected of exposure to violence.

“Although, no current increase in violence seen, no doctors, plunket nurses, school health nurses, child welfare nurses and so on who normally can see this with their interactions and refer people in,” he said.

Like so many communities in New Zealand, the Pasifika community is doing it tough.

A report has detailed shocking levels of physical violence and neglect towards millions of Pacific Islands children, sparking calls for better-targeted aid programmes from countries like New Zealand and Australia

The report team, from combined aid agencies, investigated child-rearing practices in seven Pacific countries, as well as Timor-Leste.

The report found as many as four million children experience violence at home across the Pacific – a staggering 2.8 million in Papua New Guinea alone.

READ MORE: Phil Fitzpatrick: PNG’s Kramer ‘crucial’ law and order change maker

More than half of all sexual violence referred to medical clinics involves children in PNG, where almost one in three parents report beating children “as hard as they can”.

The research also outlines a range of factors that contribute to the abuse, including Pacific societies with high levels of gender inequality; social acceptance of physical punishment of children, weak governance, and growing poverty and inequality.

The report’s authors said the research shows the critical lack of overseas aid invested in programmes aimed at ending violence against children, and programmes by countries like New Zealand and Australia need to be more targeted.

Carsten Bockemuehl, World Vision’s advocacy campaigns lead for the Pacific, said the study painted a “pretty bleak picture” of regional and donor governments that had failed to prioritise children’s rights.

“It’s a massive development issue that is really negatively impacting on children and societies as a whole,” he said.

Around 0.1 percent of all Australian foreign aid to the Pacific and Timor-Leste in 2017 was directed to programmes specifically addressing violence against children, according to aid group Save The Children, which claimed just $US2.3 million was spent in total by all foreign donors “on this critical issue”.

Bockemuehl said violence against children will make societies less prosperous and will exacerbate risks to health and criminal justice systems and that there needed to be a “rebalancing” of aid priorities in the Pacific.

“It’s actually an economic issue, it makes countries poorer, so that’s why, out of the many competing priorities in developing countries, we just advocate for violence to be recognised as a critical development issue.”

• This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

Papua New Guinea has been condemned for violent mob attacks on people accused of sorcery – especially women or girls, repeated assaults and robberies on refugees, failure to address police brutality and corruption in the latest country report by Human Rights Watch.

The New York-based rights watchdog flagged a Madang trial that began in March of 122 people accused of killing five men and two children suspected of witchcraft and serial attacks on women.

Almost 40 percent of the country’s 8 million people live in poverty, and the government is far too reliant on religious groups and non-government organisations to provide charitable services for the economic and social rights of citizens.

Among other key points of the chapter in its annual world report:

• The government has not taken sufficient steps to address gender inequality, violence, excessive use of force by police;
• Rates of family and sexual violence are among the highest in the world, and perpetrators are rarely prosecuted; and
• Papua New Guinea has one of the highest rates of maternal death in the world.

‘Electoral violence’
Last August, Peter O’Neill was reelected as prime minister following an “election marred by widespread electoral irregularities and violence”, Human Rights Watch says.

“Soldiers and extra police were sent to the Highlands in response to fighting triggered by the election, where dozens of people, including police, had been killed in election-related violence.

“Refugees and asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island have suffered repeated violent attacks and robberies by locals, with inadequate hospital care on the island and no action by police.”

The watchdog says that more than three years after the 2013 Family Protection Act was adopted, Parliament in May finally passed regulations to implement the law, which criminalises domestic violence and allows victims to obtain protection orders.

However, police and prosecutors “rarely pursue investigations or criminal charges against people who commit family violence” — even in cases of attempted murder, serious injury, or repeated rape — and instead prefer to resolve such cases through mediation and/or payment of compensation.

Police often demand money (“for fuel”) from victims before acting, or simply ignore cases that occur in rural areas.

There is also a severe lack of services for people requiring assistance after having suffered family violence, such as safe houses, qualified counselors, case management, financial support, or legal aid, the report says.

Violent mobs
Violent mobs attacked individuals accused of sorcery or witchcraft, particularly women and girls.

In March, a trial involving 122 defendants began in Madang. The defendants were charged in connection with the killing of five men and two children suspected of sorcery in 2014, Human Rights Watch says.

The prosecution alleged that the men raided a village in search of sorcerers to kill, armed with “bush knives, bows and arrows, hunting spears, [and] home-made and factory-made shotguns.”

No further details were available at time of the watchdog’s report regarding the trial’s progress.

Papua New Guinea has one of the highest rates of maternal death in the world. Just over 50 percent of women and girls give birth in a health facility or with the help of a skilled birth attendant.

Although the PNG government supports universal access to contraception, two out of three women still cannot access contraception due to geographic, cultural, and economic barriers.

Abortion remains illegal in PNG, except when the mother’s life is at risk.

Police abuse rampant
Police abuse remained rampant in Papua New Guinea, says Human Rights Watch.

In May, police detained and assaulted a doctor at a police roadblock on his way home in Port Moresby. The case triggered a public outcry, but no one had been charged for the offence at time of writing.

Few police are ever held to account for beating or torturing criminal suspects, but in December 2016, a mobile squad commander was charged with the murder of a street vendor, six months after the alleged offence occurred.

A court granted him bail in January 2017. In September, police charged a former police officer with the 2013 murder of two people in Central Province.

Despite the ombudsman and police announcing investigations into the 2016 police shooting of eight university students during a protest in Port Moresby, at time of writing no police had been charged or disciplined and neither body had issued a report.

About 770 male asylum seekers and refugees from countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, and Iran, live on Manus Island.

Another 35 or so have signed settlement papers to remain in PNG, although only four of these are working and financially independent.

Temporary living
About 70 are temporarily living in Port Moresby. All were forcibly transferred to PNG by Australia since 2013, says Human Rights Watch.

Australia pays for their upkeep but refuses to resettle them, insisting refugees must settle in PNG or third countries, such as the United States.

Refugees and asylum seekers do not feel safe on Manus due to a spate of violent attacks by locals in the town of Lorengau.

Local youths attacked refugees and asylum seekers with bush knives, sticks, and rocks and robbed them of mobile phones and possessions.

Police failed to hold perpetrators to account.

In April, soldiers fired shots at the main regional processing center, injuring nine people including refugees and center staff.

By Stacey Yalo in Port Moresby

With hopes of empowering more women in the Papua New Guinea music industry, renowned female artist, Mereani Masani, introduced what was claimed to be “first ever” girl band to perform live in Port Moresby last night.

The seven-member band Girl Power is made up of students, mothers, and a lecturer who have braved a male-dominated industry to come out and not only sing but to raise awareness on social issues affecting women and girls.

They have previously toured in Goroka and Madang, but this was the first time they have performed in the capital.

The group also yesterday launched their first music video, “No More”, dedicated to ending domestic violence in Papua New Guinea.

However, Pacific Media Watch reports the claim by EMTV that this is the first all-girls band in Papua New Guinea, has been challenged with a video about early women bands in Rabaul in the 1960s and 1970s – especially a group called The Vibe.

Stacey Yalo is an EMTV News reporter.

• More PNG stories

PNG’s first all-girl bands were actually formed in Rabaul and they recorded albums. Video: Goldhitz

The Supreme Court in Vanuatu has sentenced Philip Jimmy, a man found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Alice Karis last year, to 26 years in prison.

Jimmy, who was convicted last month of the premeditated murder of the late Karis on June 16, 2017, was sentenced yesterday.

In his judgment, Supreme Court Judge David Chetwynd emphasised on the seriousness of the offence.

It is believed to be the harshest sentence ever handed out by a court in Vanuatu for a spouse-killer. Domestic violence has become a growing issue in Vanuatu in recent years.

Judge David Chetwynd said taking another person’s life was the most serious offence in criminal law and a sentence should reflect that.

“There is a need to adequately punish the defendant for what he has done,” said the Supreme Court Judge.

“There is also the need to deter other men from using violence against women and to reinforce the need to respect the equal and human rights of women, particularly in the context of a domestic relationship.”

Maximum penalty life
Intentional premeditated homicide carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The accused received a starting sentence of 28 years taking into account the aggravating factors.

There are a number of aggravating factors apparent in the offending. This was undoubtedly domestic violence against a partner who was not smaller but also affected by alcohol, said the judge.

“Ms Karis was vulnerable and to all intents and purposes defenseless,” he said.

“The defendant’s reasoning seems to have been she [and her children] were a drain on his finances and she has disagreed with him. He was a man who was used to imposing his will through violence.

“There was a history of violence in the relationship and on occasion the violence was directed at others.”

The judge considered the mitigating factors, accepting that the accused had no previous convictions and taking into account his remorse, and that left Jimmy with a sentence of 26 years.

Vicious attack
Medical evidence revealed that Karis had died following a vicious, prolonged and deliberate attack on her body on June 16, 2017.

“Those injuries could only have been caused by the brutal attack carried out by the defendant,” Judge Chetwynd said in his judgement.

Jimmy had initially pleaded not guilty to the offence.

From February 26 to March 9, 20 prosecution witnesses took the witness stand and testified against Jimmy, following events that led up to the last moments of Alice’s life and he was convicted.

The penalty for premeditated homicide is laid out in section 106 (1) and subsection (b)of the Penal Code Act [CAP 135], as follows:

“Intentional homicide (1) ‘No person shall by any unlawful act or omission intentionally cause the death of another person. (b) if the homicide is premeditated, imprisonment for life.”

• Boyfriend found guilty
• More Vanuatu stories

The final autopsy report on Post-Courier journalist Rosalyn Albaniel Evara, handed to the Papua New Guinean Coroner’s Court last week, has an “undetermined death” finding.

Chief Pathologist Dr Seth Fose conducted the full autopsy and compiled the report, saying the cause of death was undetermined due to embalming, which had restricted the evidence at the time of autopsy, despite there being a reported history of domestic or physical violence.

While police investigations continue, Coroner Mekeo Gauli, said the journalist’s death earlier this month would not be taken lightly, as there was a huge public outcry for justice.

READ MORE: PNG prime minister O’Neill condemns violence against women, reports Pacific Media Watch

Evara died on 15 October 2017 at her company residence in the Port Moresby suburb of Boroko after she had complained of severe headaches.

The report of her death and the circumstances surrounding it received widespread calls for further investigations when her aunt, Mary Albaniel, revealed disturbing images of her bruised body during her funeral.

The pictures, according to Albaniel, were taken a day after her death, before the deceased’s body was taken to the funeral home.

The body then underwent embalming, the process of preserving the human flesh after death to delay decomposition.

Common sense
Medical practitioners say it is common sense that the autopsy must take place before the embalming.

This is the basis for Dr Fose’s medical opinion. He stated that based upon the autopsy of tissue microscopy analysis and police report to the coroner, a cause of death could be determined.

Adding that the contributing factor in limiting identification and interpretation of evidence of injuries, trauma, and natural disease was embalming artefacts and changes present at time of autopsy in spite of the history of domestic or physical assault.

However, as the funeral pictures revealed, the issue has not been taken lightly.

Coroner Gauli said that because of the keen public interest in this case, the matter will not be taken lightly.

He told EMTV that in a situation where nobody is charged, it would be up to him to call an inquest for all involved parties to come forward and give evidence before the National Court.

Public outcry
When the police concluded their investigations, the death would go before the coroner to give his decision.

Detective Chief Sergeant Ulagis Mantu of the police Homicide Division said investigations were still ongoing because of public outcry.

He said that while the coroner himself will give his opinion on the matter of the final report, he was calling on Rosalyn Evara’s family to come forward and give him their statements.

Staycey Yalois is an EMTV News journalist. Asia Pacific Report republishes EMTV News reports with permission.

• Pacific Media Watch report on PNG sorcery-related torture
• Police await autopsy report
• More PNG stories

Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

The Media Council of Papua New Guinea is calling for an investigation into the untimely death of senior journalist and Post-Courier business editor Rosalyn Albaniel Evara.

“While the council respected the wishes of her immediate family to proceed with her burial, it acknowledges that the pain that Late Rosalyn had to endure is no longer just hers, and a pain that many more women in the country may be going through every day,” the MCPNG said in a statement.

Evara, 41, was rushed to hospital last week on October 15 after collapsing in her home.

She died in Port Moresby General Hospital later that day.

READ MORE: Pacific Media Watch coverage on this issue

Pacific Media Watch reports Evara’s funeral on Monday was overshadowed by abuse allegations, after her aunt, Mary Albaniel, said her niece had been a victim of violence.

The MCPNG is now calling on PNG’s media fraternity to push for justice for the victims of gender-based violence.

“It has happened to one of our own, and it is time to acknowledge that it needs to stop.

Domestic violence ‘cancer’
“More needs to be said about this cancer, which thrives behind closed doors and breeds on fear,” it said.

The MCPNG said many female journalists in PNG suffered from violent and abusive relationships, which affected their work and families.

It said the media could no longer keep silent and must continue to report on the issue “despite cultural and social challenges”.

“It is not too late to help those who are living with the same fear she had to endure,” the MCPNG stated.

Human Rights Watch has stated PNG’s government has taken insufficient steps to address gender-based violence.

Described as an “emergency” which needs addressing in their 2015 report “Bashed Up: Family violence in Papua New Guinea”, domestic violence rates in PNG remain among the highest in the world and are rarely prosecuted.

• Funeral of Post-Courier journalist overshadowed by abuse allegations
• PNG journalist death sparks anger over violence against women
• Media Council of Papua New Guinea
• More PNG stories

DropVkal Family, a local ni-Vanuatu band made up of unemployed male youth living in the same neighborhood, is making its mark in the music and social activism scene.

They play mainly acoustic reggae, rock and roots music.

Their vision is for the group to promote local vernacular languages and be an alternative to mainstream full-set band reggae popular among youth groups in Port Vila and throughout Vanuatu.

DropVkal Family has been performing at bars and restaurants around Port Vila.  They play regularly at Coconut Palms Resort on Saturday nights and Anchor Inn on Sundays.

“We’re a group of friends from different islands of Vanuatu that have come together because of our love of music, and our interest in contributing to the development of Vanuatu and its special local culture,” says musician Carlos Noronha.

“The band is evolving and is inclusive. It is a product of the merging of the bands DropVcull Groove and Family Roots.”

The name DropVkal resembles the word Tropical, the climate associated with Vanuatu. But DropVkal has a deeper meaning comprising three themes:

Drop – “Tears of the pain suffered by our ancestors who were kidnapped or tricked into leaving home to work as indentured labourers on plantations in Australia. This practice, called Blackbirding, is a terrible chapter in Vanuatu’s past.”

V – “Vision, the Future, with a focus on Actions to build a better society. DropVkal Family wants to share ideas through our songs, which are ready to record, about violence against women and girls, corruption, appreciation of the environment and nature of Vanuatu and West Papua. We are always thinking about what will be our next project? How can we use our music for positive social change?”

Kal – “Culture. We aim to incorporate local instruments, especially the bamboo flute, in all of our original songs. This symbolises the respect and admiration that we have for Vanuatu’s indigenous culture.”

The group has supported several fundraising initiatives – such as in Port Vila Central Market to enable the purchase of 17 water tanks to send outer islands of Vanuatu to help communities suffering the effects of the climate change phenomenon El Niño in 2015.

DropVkal Family

In Fiji, the number of reported domestic violence cases has increased. Police say in the first quarter of this year, it registered 951 which is 13 percent more than in the same period last year.

A Fijian women’s group believes the reported abuse is only “the tip of the iceberg”.

Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre co-ordinator Shamima Ali says the higher number of domestic violence reports is a good thing, as more women are choosing to speak out.

SHAMIMA ALI: “The more reporting there will be, the more it can act as a deterrent to potential wife beaters and perpetrators and so on, and it also encourages other women and girls to report when they see higher rates of reporting. So that is the positive side of it.”

However Shamima Ali believes only 15 percent of abused women approach the police. She says even if women want to speak out, they are often pressured to keep quiet.

SHAMIMA ALI: “Domestic violence is seen so much as the norm, and if you look at the domestic survey 58 percent of women said no one should interfere when a husband beats up his wife.”

However, Ali believes more women are reporting abuse because police are better at responding to domestic violence. Police spokesperson Atunaisa Sokomuri says the force has been working with the community to raise awareness and encourage women to report abuse.

ATUNAISA SOKOMURI: “Now the members of public have more confidence in the police department and report on sexual offenders cases and sexual abuse cases.”

Menka Goundan from the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement says she believes Cyclone Winston has caused the recent increase of reports. Goundan says cyclone relief workers encourage women in remote areas to contact police if they are being abused.

MENKA GOUNDAN: “Now there is a lot of NGOs, aid workers, even cluster groupings that are going in to talk to people, which has definitely led to the rise in reported cases.”

Menka Goundan says women are also more likely to report abuse during disasters as the fear of losing a place to stay, which normally deters them from speaking out, has already happened.

MENKA GOUNDAN: “With the displacement they are already insecure and more vulnerable so when these things happen they don’t have to worry about that security aspect because it’s already lost and they are already in a vulnerable state.”

The executive director of Fiji Women’s Rights Movement Tara Chetty says domestic violence usually increases during disasters. However she says it is difficult to tell whether Winston has directly caused the recent spike.

TARA CHETTY: “I think what it points to is the need to really analyse the figures that we come across. To have a look at geographical spread – where are they being reported. So that would give us a better sign of whether it’s in cyclone effected areas or not.”

Tara Chetty says abuse is rife even when there is no emergency.

TARA CHETTY: “This extremely high level of violence against women and girls and gender based violence is just unacceptable. You know, the Pacific is a world leader in gender based violence and that’s just not the kind of world leader that we want to be.”

Tara Chetty believes abuse will only decrease when Fijian culture changes.

Julie Cleaver reported this story for Dateline Pacific while on internship with Radio New Zealand International.

The Pacific Islands conjure up images of paradise: white sand beaches, transparent sparkling aquamarine seas, and happy smiling islanders.

But what lies beneath is the unacceptable treatment of women and rampant gender inequality, as the iconic tourist images mask the highest rates in the world of intimate partner sexual and domestic violence against women, ranging from around 68 percent in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kiribati to 40 percent in Samoa.

Against this milieu, paradise is surely lost for women and girls in the Pacific.

Gender equality appears to have advanced everywhere, and so, you would think, would attitudes about wife beating. However, according to a new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People in Asia and the Pacific, this is far from the truth.

The report highlights how in Timor-Leste a staggering 81 percent of teenage girls believe a husband is justified in beating his wife for at least one reason.

The figures were slightly lower for Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Samoa, and Vanuatu, but still speak volumes about how girls perceive their mothers’ status.

In Tonga, faring somewhat better, just over 25 percent of girls think domestic violence is acceptable in some circumstances.

Dreaming a different dream
Aren’t we asking them to dream a different dream, one that allows them lives with dignity, husbands who respect them, and a decent education followed by paid work? Not so, it seems.

Picture how the intergenerational cycle of domestic violence, actual criminal assault against women in the home, is perpetuated.

Teenage girls watch their mothers being beaten by their fathers. The father is the patriarch after all. It is he who must be obeyed. These impressionable young women consider it justifiable, because their mothers do.

They too get beaten when they are grown women, and in turn they teach their own daughters—even if it is only by subliminal socialisation—that it is acceptable too. And so the cycle continues and that’s why those 81 percent of Timorese girls think it’s fine for their fathers to beat their mothers.

This month Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum and the first female leader of the regional organisation, reminded us of some of these problems in the Pacific.

In ADB’s Manila headquarters as annual Gender Month distinguished speaker, Dame Meg pointed out that the last 2012 Women’s Economic Opportunity Index, published by the Economist Intelligence Unit, provided a global comparison of women’s economic opportunities including, for the first time, six Pacific countries.

The Pacific ranked very poorly in this index of 128 countries, with most of the six surveyed countries in the bottom 25 per cent. The Solomon Islands and PNG were ranked at 124 and 125, respectively.

Urgency self-evident
“The urgency of dealing with gender-based violence in the Pacific is self-evident,” she said.

It is important to remember that one cannot point to individual successful women to rationalise the advancement of gender equality, as is commonly done in the Pacific.

Gender indexes measure women’s advancement as a group. The success of individual women is laudable, but it is an anomaly, an exception to the rule.

They succeed in spite of the system, not because of it. It is important and appropriate to celebrate them for many reasons, including their importance as role models to girls and young women. But this cannot, and should not, be an overall indicator of gender equality.

For a start we need to question the fundamentals of patriarchy‎ that require fathers to reign supreme. Based on my experience representing hundreds of battered women in court, try counseling and mediation first, but if that does not work then prosecute and seek punishment.

Women should expose their husbands and partners for their criminal acts. This would send an important message to their daughters.

We must raise our daughters and sons differently than we have been. We need to tell them over and over again at home, at school and in the churches, mosques and temples that hitting a woman is a criminal assault, a violation of a woman’s human rights. The same act committed outside the home would be considered a crime. They need to understand that if their father considered their mother his equal, he would not beat her.

Defending themselves
Women have to defend themselves and say enough is enough. Ultimately they have to walk away from marriages in which men refuse to change. These small acts of dignity may turn the tide for their daughters.

All of this reminds me of why I am still a feminist. For Pacific Island women and girls, we need to keep working until paradise is regained.

A lawyer by profession, Imrana Jalal was a commissioner with the Fiji Human Rights Commission. She is the author of the Law for Pacific Women, architect of the Family Law Act 2005, and former chair of the UN Committee on Harmful Practices Against Women. She is a member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Women Living Under Muslim Law, the Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development. She is also a commissioner on the International Commission of Jurists, Geneva. This commentary was first published on the Asian Development Blog.