Press Release: Violence against women in PNG: How men are getting away with murder

In a new Lowy Institute Analysis, Jo Chandler examines the devastating impact of violence against women in Papua New Guinea. Chandler goes beyond the sterile and often incomplete statistical accounts of sexual violence in PNG to tell personal stories highlighting the dangers women face and the risks some are taking to tackle the issue.

“I've had numerous assignments in PNG over the past six years, and while violence was rarely the story I went looking for, it was inevitably at the heart of almost every narrative I found," said author Jo Chandler.

 "In a deeply complex and widely varied cultural landscape, it's a difficult story to explore. Nonetheless certain questions emerge in every community. Why is justice so elusive, especially for women? How can it be that girls today have more fear and less freedom than their mothers? This paper reflects my own journeys exploring these questions, and my travels through the literature looking for answers."

 Chandler also looks at the role that Australia is playing through its aid program to address the problem. She notes that the Australian Government has committed significant resources, but argues that it needs to keep the issue high on the bilateral agenda.

“Australia can provide more support for local civil society efforts that assist the victims of violence and address some of its root causes,” she said.

“Ultimately, however, the solution to extreme violence must come from within PNG,” concludes Chandler.

 Violence against women in PNG: How men are getting away with murder can be downloaded from the Lowy Institute website.