Photographer documents atrocities against PNG women

SVETLANA BACHEVANOVA | Women News Network

PAPUA NEW GUINEA suffers under a cloak of violence against women that still runs unabated, especially for those who live at the bottom of society with little legal recourse or protection.

A new and alarming trend in some assaults has been carefully documented by award winning photojournalist Vlad Sokhin, who exposes an ancient form of violence against women in the region.

“Women told me their stories; many of which just shocked me,” said Sokhin, the founder and publisher of Fotoevidence, an acclaimed online archive that also hosts The Fotoevidence Book Award.

Through the award, Fotoevidence recognises each year, “a documentary photographer whose project demonstrates courage and commitment in addressing a violation of human rights, a significant injustice or an assault on human dignity.”

Growing up as a Russian/Portuguese photographer, Sokhin currently lives in Sydney. In March 2012 he was recognised as the winner of the 2012 FotoEvidence Book Award.

In his in-depth documentation of social injustice against women, Sokhin has not shied away from an honest and at times hard look at violent acts against women in PNG.

These women have been on the receiving end of a system where 80% of all violence against women is unpunished.

“If you dig deep beneath the pain of Sokhin’s images you can find compassion and a rising sense of outrage in the desperate needs for protection of all women,” says WNN – Women News Network founder and editor-at-large Lys Anzia.

Sokhin’s project Crying Meri was selected for a screening at Visa Pour L’Image 2012 in Perpignan, France. His photos have also been displayed by a United Nations educational campaign in Papua New Guinea, addressing the issue of violence against women.

Photo:

Hellen Alphons, 38, walks with a rudimentary crutch outside her home. She lost her leg in 2005 in a fight with her drunken husband, Alai Kawa, when he chopped her right leg with a bushknife in front of their young children.

Kawa was arrested but, after treatment, Hellen left her home fearing her husband's release. When she returned home in 2010 she learned that her husband had died in prison.

Nowadays she lives together with Alai’s sister. Today they both run a small shop in Kundiawa in Simbu Province. Image: Vlad Sokhin

Comments

[Beatrice Yokondo]

It`s an on going battle in Papua New Guinea, violence against women. It is happening everywhere and out of control.

Men who commit violence against women simply show that they don`t love their women. They are too narrow-minded and blind to appreciate their women.

Many times we are told that it is none of our business and should stay out of it. Should we just stand and watch while a woman is being beaten or harassed??

Many men are not punished for this and law and order officers do nothing. What happened to the rights of a woman? Most of us still do not know all the laws and are cheated!

We should all have respect for each other.

[Talsha Bannick]

Our nation is an extremely diverse socio-cultural society, with a multi and complex culture, so custom is very important including amongst those who are formally educated.

Women and girls are obliged to follow and as a result many of them are victims of abuse and gender violence.

Violence against women and girls is a major issue not only in this country but across the world. Those who tend to be most targeted are those with minimum levels of education.

The health status of females is also an issue and their participation in the making of decisions.

Attempts to bring to light domestic and sexual violence by governments is of no help since the decision-makers are hesitant to publicly address the gender-ased violence as a public issue. Not much work as been done on the issue.

Thus, the widespread lack of gender equality leaves women and girls with little access to basic services such as education, health and many others.

The National Goals and DIrective Principles states that the PNG Parliament agreed to condemn all forms af discrimination agaisnt women. Therefore the constitution protects the rights of women.

As a Melanesian society, we females do respect our society's laws and customs but it doesn't mean we can be violated.

So what the state should do is set up organisations to eliminate discrimination, found a human basic rights and freedom of individuals regardless of race, culture and sex, and organised a group to work especially on gender-based violence.

It must take in cosideration from the social environment where there is a rise in sexual violence against women.

Acts of harassment in workplace, acts of forced sex against wife or girlfriend, rape by known persons or gangs of criminals within the current situation of violence has created an insecure environment for females.

[Peter Kranz]

Well we did one small thing to help a victim of abuse - it was not really legal, but we had no other options.

When living in Port Moresby we heard that my sister-in-law (we'll call her Mary) had entered into a relationship with a Western Highlands man.

She moved to Banz to live with him. It started out fairly normal, but soon he insisted that she earn some money for him, apart from working in the garden.

She started a small mini-market by the side of the main road, and sold small thing she had collected, along with buai to passers by.

After a hard day's work she returned home and he demanded all the money she had made to buy himself beer. This happened over several weeks. Then she was subjected to violence when he thought she hadn't earned enough.

Eventually he became jealous and locked her inside the house, so she couldn't meet anyone. She tried to leave but he beat her.

After several attempts to escape he tied her to the bed inside the house and continued his abuse, plus what would count as 'marital rape' many times.

We heard about this from a concerned relative and were incensed, so decided we had to take some action.

We went to the police but they said 'We have no money for petrol, anyway it's just a domestic dispute, let it be.' So that wasn't very helpful.

"Rose I think you have to go there and try and rescue her".

"OK, but I'll need money for bribes and airfares."

And so she embarked on a rescue mission for her sister. Flying to Kundiawa she found she had to bribe the police to take any action.

So K1,000 later she persuaded them to fuel up, drive to Banz with her and mount a rescue mission.

They broke into the house when luckily the man was away and and found my sister tied up with a tether like a pig in a garden. They freed her, then drove her back to Kundiawa were we had a flight ticket to Port Moresby awaiting.

Just as she boarded the plane, the man and a group of his relatives arrived and tried to storm the plane. Luckily the police were still on hand and prevented a nasty incident.

So Mary escaped. I've seen her bruises and scars to confirm her treatment at the hand of this man.

She is now with relatives in Port Moresby and has started a new life.

But it is so tragic that we had to resort to this, which I know many people cannot.

[Peter Kranz]

Today is International Women's Day. It is marked on 8 March every year.

In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

The UN theme for International Women's Day 2013 is "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women".

It is appropriate for all people concerned about the plight of women in Papua New Guinea to respect and recognize this special day and pledge to do something about abuse and violence against the good women - our mothers, sisters, wives and cousins - who still suffer in PNG.

[Annsli Kabekabe]

If there were no women, there will be chaos in this world. Men cannot live without women because when God created woman he choose the ribs of the man to creat the women, because of the very reason that the ribs protect the man's heart.

Men should realise that and stop hurting their wife, daughters and girlfriends.

Women deserve to be treated right because they have every right to be. However, they are the most abused ones.

Men who commit violence against women are not men but childish and narrow minded beings. They should grow up sooner rather than later if they love their wives.

Free advice to all PNG women out there, if your husband lays a hand on you, walk out on him. There's no point in staying in that relationship because he'll do the same thing again.

I hate seeing women been bashed or dragged on the streets. Where did all the love go? What happened to your vows in church?

PNG men, start treating your wife fairly, it wouldn't hurt to see them smile and laugh. Have peace in your hearts.

[Neil Yamelu]

This is not the way women should be treated, especially mothers.

PNG is seen as a christian country and yet inhuman treatment to others' life is seriously increasing.

Can we respect our mothers and fight against the violence of cruel attitude towards women.

[Fidelis Lai]

It is very true that Papua New Guinea suffers under a cloak of violence against women that still runs unbated.

Not only for those who lives at the bottom of the society with little legal resources or protection but it applies to those who are also living in the urban areas with law and order surroundind them with no proper action taking place.

I'm saying this because it is fact that about 80% of all violence against women in the country is unpunished while the law and order officers of the country are watching. And so that's a challnge for our goverment to consider.

Meanwhile people like Vlad Sokin who have a heart for the women need to be considerd once again as a book award winner this year.

I would like to wish you a verry successful year and may the mighty God bless you.