Men can have an important role to play in ending violence, particularly Family and Sexual Violence and sorcery accusation related violence.
However, this requires respect for human rights for both men and women and challenge to the gender and social norms that lead to violence, discrimination and injustice.
After witnessing an increase in the rates of family and sexual violence (FSV) in his community, Alphonse Pemuko took it upon himself to educate and counsel mostly male perpetrators.
Pemuko credits the training he received through the PNG-Australia Partnership, including an intensive learning to lead course that empowered him to develop skills and ways to tackle FSV and other human rights abuses and achieve his goals.
In 2014, Pemuko supported the establishment of the Arawa Men’s Hub – an organisation that works with men and boys to change attitudes towards women and girls by discouraging violence and building awareness of FSV and the laws surrounding it, including the Family Protection Act.
The hub also provides a safe refuge for men from South and Central Bougainville fleeing sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV).
Pemuko notes awareness and understanding of the law as key issues. Often, perpetrators who are served interim protection orders (IPOs) and protection orders (POs) by a court to prevent further violence, do not understand their purpose.
“They come to us and we explain to them what the orders mean and why they were served.”
The Hub provides a space for men and boys to talk about issues around gender, SARV and FSV and undertake counselling.
Since its inception, it has served more than 1000 people. The facility is also part of the Bougainville-wide network of services for FSV survivors operated by the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation, providing safe refuge and referral service.
“When survivors come to us, we have this referral pathway where we refer them to different service providers like the police, Family Sexual Violence Unit, the Family Support Centre, the courts and safe houses,” Pemuko says.
Under his leadership, the Hub has developed targeted training and activities that promote respect for human rights for both men and women and change attitudes and gender and social norms that lead to violence, discrimination and injustice.