Fighting Gender Violence in PNG
Donation protected
Being a woman in Papua New Guinea means the odds are stacked against you. Two-thirds of women are subjected to some kind of physical or sexual violence. To exist as a female is perilous. Doctors Without Borders have reported that in Papua New Guinea they are dealing with levels of gender violence normally experienced in war zones.
On 6 February 2013, Kepari Leniata, a 20-year-old mother of two was accused of witchcraft, dragged from her home in the early hours of the morning stripped naked, tortured, brutalised, and thrown into a pyre of tyres drenched in kerosene and burned alive.
Prior to the murder, a young boy in the village had complained of stomach pains and later died. The family, finding no explanation for the senseless tragedy, became suspicious of sorcery and witchcraft, and Kepari Leniata quickly became the target of accusations. Leniata ‘confessed’ to the murder while being tortured by her accusers.
The story of Kepari Leniata broke the hearts of Philma Kelegai, Cassaundra Rangip and Mona Eindehipa, who are Papua New Guinea women who work and study in Australia and have been given the opportunities other women in Papua New Guinea are denied. They have said 'enough is enough' and the Leniata Legacy was born.
Papua New Guinean women are crucial drivers of the Papua New Guinean society as well as economy. Women are suppressed and oppressed through the psychology of inferiority and violence.
We are working hard to build a gender violence based response unit with a nurse and paralegal who will work to provide health and legal services for sufferers of domestic violence. Every little bit helps. Thank you for helping us with our response unit!
On 6 February 2013, Kepari Leniata, a 20-year-old mother of two was accused of witchcraft, dragged from her home in the early hours of the morning stripped naked, tortured, brutalised, and thrown into a pyre of tyres drenched in kerosene and burned alive.
Prior to the murder, a young boy in the village had complained of stomach pains and later died. The family, finding no explanation for the senseless tragedy, became suspicious of sorcery and witchcraft, and Kepari Leniata quickly became the target of accusations. Leniata ‘confessed’ to the murder while being tortured by her accusers.
The story of Kepari Leniata broke the hearts of Philma Kelegai, Cassaundra Rangip and Mona Eindehipa, who are Papua New Guinea women who work and study in Australia and have been given the opportunities other women in Papua New Guinea are denied. They have said 'enough is enough' and the Leniata Legacy was born.
Papua New Guinean women are crucial drivers of the Papua New Guinean society as well as economy. Women are suppressed and oppressed through the psychology of inferiority and violence.
We are working hard to build a gender violence based response unit with a nurse and paralegal who will work to provide health and legal services for sufferers of domestic violence. Every little bit helps. Thank you for helping us with our response unit!
Organizer
Cass Rangip
Organizer
Redfern NSW
