Police Commissioner, David Manning at a recent launch of a video documentary on Family Sexual Violence Referral Pathway said gender-based violence is a disease that needs to be treated.
The video, titled ‘Pathways to Justice – Strongim sindaun bilong femili’, is a documentary that showcases the legal and support options made available for survivors of family and sexual violence in PNG and how the people and services are working hard to keep them safe.
Commissioner Manning in his speech told the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) and the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) that the constabulary is committed in addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.
He said the Constabulary continues to build capacity as it deals with GBV, Family Sexual Violence (FSV), and SARV, and that this was an emerging challenge for the constabulary as it recognizes the need to establish a response specifically to deal with violence in these settings.
Commissioner Manning said it is a continuous challenge for the constabulary but this has been best mitigated through networks established with likeminded and concerned individuals as well as organizations in the public and private sector including NGOs and faith-based organisations.
He said the Constabulary has trained thousands of its members on how to deal with GBV, FSV and SRV and over a hundred members of the Constabulary have been trained specifically to deal with FSV nationwide.
The constabulary has committed to dealing with the various forms of violence, whose victims are usually women and children, and Commissioner Manning said they are obligated to providing leadership in dealing with GBV and associated forms of violence and appealed to the various partners for their continued support.