Crying Meri: Violence-against-women in Papua New Guinea
According to the statistics, in Papua New Guinea,
two thirds of women are constantly exposed to
domestic violence and about 50% of women
become victims of sexual assaults. Local men
don’t respect their meris (“meri” in Pidgin means
“woman”), constantly beating them, often using
bush knives and axes. While in traditional villages
such attitudes toward women can be attributed
to tribal culture, today in Port Moresby violence
against women shocks modern society. Every day most of the dozens of crimes are reported to be against women from Port Moresby slum areas. In most Papua tribes, when a boy wants to become a man, he should go to enemy’s village and kill a pig. After that, his community will accept him as an adult. In industrial Port Moresby, women have replaced pigs. “First young gang member should steal something, money or a car – and he will be admitted to the gang. After that, he must prove that his intentions are serious and pass through some kind of “initiation” – rape a woman. And it is better if a boy kills her afterwards, there will be less problems with the
police”, says 32 years old Moses, who had raped
more than 30 women himself.
It is very rare that violence-against-women cases
are brought to court. Most assailants are kept in
a prison cell at the police station for a couple of
days and then released. The police claim the lack
of conviction stems from the fact that victims
often fear fi ling a statement.
two thirds of women are constantly exposed to
domestic violence and about 50% of women
become victims of sexual assaults. Local men
don’t respect their meris (“meri” in Pidgin means
“woman”), constantly beating them, often using
bush knives and axes. While in traditional villages
such attitudes toward women can be attributed
to tribal culture, today in Port Moresby violence
against women shocks modern society. Every day most of the dozens of crimes are reported to be against women from Port Moresby slum areas. In most Papua tribes, when a boy wants to become a man, he should go to enemy’s village and kill a pig. After that, his community will accept him as an adult. In industrial Port Moresby, women have replaced pigs. “First young gang member should steal something, money or a car – and he will be admitted to the gang. After that, he must prove that his intentions are serious and pass through some kind of “initiation” – rape a woman. And it is better if a boy kills her afterwards, there will be less problems with the
police”, says 32 years old Moses, who had raped
more than 30 women himself.
It is very rare that violence-against-women cases
are brought to court. Most assailants are kept in
a prison cell at the police station for a couple of
days and then released. The police claim the lack
of conviction stems from the fact that victims
often fear fi ling a statement.