PNG’s ANGAU Hospital Family Support Unit helping women and children impacted by violence and abuse

Challenge/situation

In Papua New Guinea, 44 per cent of women  reported having been sexually abused. As an active member states of the UN, the Australian and Papua New Guinea Governments have committed to investing in the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals including the eradication of violence and improved gender equality.

As the tertiary hospital for Momase, the ANGAU Memorial Hospital services around 1.9 million people. In 2019 the hospital recorded 3,748 attendances from individuals escaping psychological abuse, intimate partner violence, and child and sexual abuse; it is in an important position to support women and children who report abuse or who present with injuries/medical needs which suggest abuse.

Approach/solution

Partnerships

JID works in partnership with our clients and stakeholders to understand their challenges. Women and children who report abuse are often made more vulnerable to further social exclusion and ongoing abuse. 

JID experts designed and constructed a Family Support Centre as part of its work in the ANGAU Memorial Hospital redevelopment. The Centre is in a secure fenced compound with security systems including an airlock pre-admission lounge, two emergency escape doors and duress alarm system, providing improved confidentiality and privacy for patients. 

Alignment with systems

The Centre is directly linked to a referral system, developed under the Government of PNG’s Family Protection Act, however government services are limited in responding to the scale of the gender-based violence crisis, and the Centre is often the only accessible shelter for women and children in Lae.

Quality and Safeguarding

Underpinning the Centre is JID’s quality assurance and safeguarding policies including Child Protection, GEDSI and PSEAH. JID invested in full time staff of X nurses and counsellors with training in safeguarding, basic first aid, and how to refer women and children to appropriate services in a confidential and safe manner.

Results/outcomes

The Family Support Centre employs X specially trained nurses and councillors providing support services for victims of gender-based and intimate partner violence, as well as X beds for those who need to shelter for the night.

Since XXXX

• 771 Children presented for sexual, physical and psychological abuse

• 486 adults presented for sexual abuse

• 950 adults presented for Intimate Partner Violence

• 1520 adults presented for psychological abuse

The above statistics were found in the FSC Case study provided. It was not clear if these figures were pre or post FSC