10 Oct 2023

PNG inquiry finds most gender and sorcery-based violence goes unreported

From , 6:02 am on 10 October 2023
A photo taken on February 6, 2013 shows a crowd watching as a young mother accused of sorcery, is stripped naked, reportedly tortured with a branding iron, tied up, splashed with fuel and set alight on a pile of rubbish topped with car tyres, in Mount Hagen city in the Western Highlands of PNG.

A photo taken on February 6, 2013 shows a crowd watching as a young mother accused of sorcery, is stripped naked, reportedly tortured with a branding iron, tied up, splashed with fuel and set alight on a pile of rubbish topped with car tyres, in Mount Hagen city in the Western Highlands of PNG. Photo: AFP/Post Courier

There was alarm and anger in Papua New Guinea's parliament last week when an inquiry revealed that gender-based and sorcery related violence is increasing in the country. 

Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop, who presented the report before the house, said that gender based and sorcery related violence is largely unreported.

The damning inquiry revealed at least 28 percent of women between the age of 15 and 49 have experienced sexual violence.

RNZ Pacific's Finau Fonua has more.