Page 14 - IB Nov 2017

Markets M4C boosts vendors’ finan- Investment No longer a vendor, I’m a
Media cial literacy: P16 businesswoman: P16

‘ a blind eye and the media has a very

It’s time that people stopped turning

important role to play to make sure that

more and more people speak out about

what’s happening behind closed doors ‘

From Page 13 contributing to a culture of silence sur- dent Neville Choi said the death might
“Given how close ties of kinship are rounding domestic violence,” Miller said. spark a change in the community. “It’s time
across Papua, this is a significant conflict In an unsigned editorial comment, the that people stopped turning a blind eye and
of interest that could and should have Post Courier claimed Evara’s relatives the media has a very important role to play
been avoided.” hijacked her funeral and attacked former to make sure that more and more people
The Forum said it had spoken out employees who had claimed the newspaper speak out about what’s happening behind
against the finding for fear that silence did not take decisive action on domestic closed doors right now,” Choi said. He said
would send the wrong message to au- violence against its own staff. professional women in PNG did not speak
thorities. “We usually restrict ourselves to Reeling from public criticism the Post publicly about violence in the home.
issues around freedom of expression, not Courier claimed Evara a “completely “Most of them don’t say anything about
medical controversy,” Miller said. “But we private person, never one to talk about it and I think this is where we [the media]
must all, as colleagues, stay vigilant about her personal experiences, life, marriage can play a stronger role in this,” he said.
anyone in circumstances surrounding the or what goes beyond the limits of the “Yes there is a lot being done about it, but
death of a working journalist.” workplace”. the stigma and the fear that’s still there has
To be effective, an independent review Rheeney – the former editor – told to be broken.”
should undergo mediation, with support the ABC’s Pacific Beat programme such Solomon Islands
from the family, or risk suspicion of con- claims were irrelevant. “I am somewhat Nearly two out of every three women
flicts of interest.” The Forum went further gobsmacked that the violence that could aged 15 to 49 experienced violence from
to raise questions about the News Limited- have been perpetrated against the late their current or former partner and about
owned Post Courier – Evara’s employer Rosalyn escaped scrutiny, because I am 18 per cent of women experienced non-
– which deactivated the journalist’s email sure someone would have seen it or heard partner violence (Source: Secretariat of the
account immediately. “What is in the email about it one way or another,” he said. Pacific Community)
account that so urgently needs deactivat- “They had an obligation to keep track of Vanuatu
ing?” Miller asked. their employees’ welfare … and I just think Three out of five women had been physi-
“PFF joins calls from Papua New Guinea, they let Rosalyn down big time.” cally and sexually abused by their husband
for police to urgently seek forensic access PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said or partner (Source: Vanuatu Women’s
to the account. “For the newspaper to de- communal support was key to ending Centre and National Statistics Office)
activate what may include incriminating violence against women. He called on Fiji
evidence amounts to an obstruction of community and church leaders to stand 64 per cent of women who had ever
justice. Any attempt to delete the contents up against violence towards women, and been in an intimate relationship expe-
of that account should be regarded with for men to protect their mothers, daughters rienced physical and/or sexual violence
deep suspicion.’’ Earlier the Post Courier and sisters. “A man is a coward if he thinks by a husband or intimate partner in their
rejected criticism of an alleged failure to it is ok to hit a woman, these abusers lifetime Every day 43 women are injured,
protect employees from domestic violence would not have the courage to hit a man one is permanently disabled, and 71 lose
which claimed the only evidence of spousal who was bigger than they are, but they consciousness (Source: Fiji Women’s Crisis
abuse was under former management. hit a woman who is smaller,” O’Neill said. Centre)
At least one non-fatal incident of spousal Priscilla Maigu – a close friend of Evara, PNG
abuse of a Post Courier staff member was said people knew of the journalist’s do- There is a lack of accurate national
raised during the editorship of Alexander mestic situation but were too scared to do
Rheeney, now a PFF co-chair. That staff anything about it. “Everyone just watched statistics on the rate of gender-based
member chose not to pursue legal action daily violence, daily beatings that she sus- violence in PNG. Organisations such as
Human Rights Watch and Medicins Sans
against her assailant. “We note with sad- tained,” she said. “I don’t know how and Frontieres have detailed “shockingly high”
ness that the staff member chose not to why they didn’t tend to help her.” rates of family and sexual violence.
pursue prosecution of her partner - further Meanwhile, PNG Media Council presi- Source: MSF and HRW

14 Islands Business,, November 2017