PNG women using Facebook to campaign against domestic violence

By Lawrence Boi

Political Science Student

University of Papua New Guinea

9th of May, 2013

Fig.1.0 ICS Department_UPNG

In the contemporary society, social media has proven to be a reliable source for communication and information. The rate at which social media is adopted is fast becoming epidemic in the everyday lives of both the rural and urban population of Papua New Guinea. Every now and then people walking on the streets, at the work place, in schools, doing businesses, and or elsewhere on leisure purposes are exposed to some form of social media for communication and information. The importance of social media is significant in the more modern day lives of Papua New Guineans. The explosion in the use of social media by Papua New Guineans is changing the way that they are engaging in politics, business and social activities on the home front. It is also changing the way that the international community is engaging with Papua New Guinea.

This paper will illustrate how women in Papua New Guinea utilize Facebook to promote the issue of domestic violence ,especially house wives, to raise concerns on some of the social issues they face in their daily lives. Facebook has open up the minds of women to take a stand in addressing and raising concerns on domestic violence and social issues commonly faced in their daily lives.

There are estimated to be about 30,000 Facebook users in PNG but the number might be much higher. Every day new Facebook accounts are being created and many Papua New Guineans are able to communicate using this medium (Yochai 2012). There are 60% male users and 40% female users in Papua New Guinea out of the total Facebook users.

House-wives have found Facebook very useful in their lives. With the innovative intervention of Facebook some Papua New Guinean house-wives have been able to express their consent on political debates, economical discussions and raise concern on social issues affecting them. In a male dominated society women are given little or no chance at all to express their freewill and rights. However, this has turned around to some certain degree where women are now at liberty to be involved in the political, social and economy spheres of life through the usage of social media/networking such as Facebook. Commonly, women feel reluctant to come out to speak of their consent in public but, contrarily, Facebook enables them to become active participants in point of discussions on surrounding issues that affects their livelihood through social networking.

Domestic violence is commonly faced by most Papua New Guinean house-wives. In 2011, Facebook groups were set up by social media users in PNG to protest police inaction in certain cases. For example, a former policeman, Simon Bernard, who had been beating his wife regularly over a six-year period, was finally brought to justice. A Facebook group created page, ‘Papua New Guineans against domestic violence’, in response to the media reports and used by Facebook members to express their anger and frustration, engage in debate on the issue, as well as share domestic violence stories. This Facebook group, which attracted 5,000 members in its first 48 hours, also received coverage across blogs in PNG and in international media including the Huffington Post.

This domestic assault case prompted civil society groups to use online and social media tools to encourage Papua New Guineans to sign a petition and to demand action from the local police. After receiving over 500 emails, the PNG superintendent in charge of the case appealed for public help in the case and was forced to launch an investigation into allegations that police had been harboring Simon Bernard. Today this Facebook group remains a site to discuss domestic violence issues in PNG. It contains emergency contact information so that victims of domestic violence in PNG have access to immediate support as well as to health and sexual violence centers.

New civil rights women’s groups have been using Facebook to launch their protest against violence on women in Papua New Guinea. Posted image and pictures of women leading the campaign and other photos of women being beaten with bruises, scars, cuts and swollen face were uploaded on Facebook for media attention. Upon the concern raised on Facebook, Peter O’Niell's government provided their support by posting a link to an article released by the Eoin Blackwell, AAP PNG Correspondence on Facebook. Peter O, Neil stated that ‘domestic violence is set to become a criminal offence in PNG’. Through the effort of women campaigning against domestic violence on Facebook has attracted attentions from the government.  

 Social media is a vital tool for information and communication that can be effectively used to address developmental issues as well as social issues encountered in Papua New Guinea. The latest intervention of Facebook users has greatly helped women to  fight violence against women in PNG. Increasing number of women from all over PNG have shown their interest and support by joining   this Facebook group. Women are now fighting violence against women on Facebook and have been rapidly getting responses from the public at an amazing rate. Social media can also be used in such areas of life to bring out public concerns in relation to inequalities and disruption in societies.

See:

Stop Domestic Violence in Papua New Guinea