FEMALE students at the University of Papua New Guinea have been silently suffering from persistent sexual harassments and abusive treatments in the vicinity of Waigani campus.
The issue was brought to the public attention when a female student was held up by a group of about 10 male students in front of Toluan female dormitory and without her consent, one of the male student grabbed her butt and her breast. The victim’s friend who saw what was done to her friend posted on Facebook condemning the inhuman treatment. The post was then shared and attracted many criticisms against the male students of the premier University of the Pacific – UPNG.
This has seen female students stage a mini peaceful protest at Waigani campus with media invitation to show their frustration about the treatment that a minority of male students have been doing and to get the administration to address the issue. The approach was not agreed by all male students which saw some of them attempted to prevent the protest from happening.
UPNG female vice president Nancy Poglau leading her fellow students during the protest with tears yesterday, cried out to the student body and the administration that the issue has been faced by the female students for over many years.
“We want to address this issue. We want our voices to be heard. We came to UPNG because of our knowledge and why are you harassing us?”
“Most male students don’t harass females in the campus but those few who are doing this; please see us as your sisters and mothers. We must put to an end to this issue,” Poglau said.
The forum was interrupted by a mob of male students that verbally insulted and attempted to physically harass the media personal consisting of journalist, camera men and photographers from various media organizations that were at the scene. The media personnel were chased on foot by the group from UPNG’s Forum Square to the new student services. The University security and administration were present but where over powered by the mob.
The angry mob demanded the media not to give coverage to the issue saying that is an internal matter and will be dealt with by the UPNG administration.
The media personnel left the scene adhering to their demand safely without any harm.
No, the media has to publish the content of the matter on Media publicly Because the matter is not solved Administratively in the Previous years since then till now.
What is the Administration doing and the Iniforce Guards doing. Are they getting paid for nothing?
My goodness gracious…
Something must be done to stop this Stupidity going on in the campus area.
Everyone is Intellectual living there for a purpose of study etc….
…and who are those Primitives in the campus going around doing this and creating rubbish out there.
Stop this from happening!
Thanks,
And be Intellectual.
Where are we heading to when we have a bunch of thugs causing a nuisance and harassing the campus population?? Such a shame!!
Not all the men flocks at UPNG are harassing the girls. Good men still lives at UPNG.
What a shame… Expose these male students and let them face the consequences.
UPNG administration’s denial to such issues has been happening for many years.
The premier University has to stop haboring and entertaining these issues.
Lives of Male students have been lost as victims of Political Voice. What about the Voice of Female students?
Is there any Gender fairness on airing these issues?
* UPNG needs a reformation of structure that is uncompromisingly founded apon the Laws of PNG and guided by the Kingdom Constitution of God three One.
PLEASE DO Something about it.
This is sad. educated fools need to wake up. Harassing and bullying at the premier university are acceptable. The university is for the people of PNG .
Really frustrated
Study Awards
Uncivilized cave men, stood in to stop the peaceful protest.
Same on them
The actions of the few male students is unbecoming. Such harrasment must stop. Have respect for the female as well.
The UPNG female’s use of the media should already send a signal that they’ve had enough of abuse of all forms, not just in UPNG by very few animalistic acts, but also around the country. This should not just be seen as an “on campus” stance, but one that should be seen as a concern around the country.
The UPNG males folks who acted against the media did not do so against or stand in opposition to their female counterparts or what they stood for but were frustrated because of the use of the media as the media they believe does not have a good relationship with the university and anything that is published is most likely to viral out of control. This is not to support the violent behavior that was displayed towards the media personnels that were present there, but to at least share some light as to the other side of the coin.
Otherwise, the use of the media by the females was one stance needed to be done to get the attention of the university administration whom the students believe seem to be sleeping on this matter of safety and security on and off campus for Students. But as it has always been seen and experienced before, what happens in UPNG can impact all, even the whole of PNG!
Please, Let’s all pray and ask for God’s grace and guidance as to what to do next, for a better direction that doesn’t involve violence and evil.
I believe there’s always a solution(s) to every presumed problem.
Government should fund courses offered at UPNG to be taught at DWU and PAU so female students can move out of UPNG.
Theres a disciplinary committee in school to address such issues and deal with responsible male students, you can’t just go and publicize everything on social media, and the news. There are good male students in the school and now their reputation is tarnished, companies will not be happy to recruit students from such schools with such disciplinary issues. I feel for those good male students in UPNG.
What transpired was a result of systems that have been in place for many years but are not proactive in eradicating the senseless stupidity at the first place.
But that being said, the few so call elites who did what they did just goes to show how some elites can obviously carry on their nasty sick habits to wherever they maybe. If not treated at this stage imagine how many sexual harassment will be filed in future potential employing agencies or organizations?
Enough is enough.
And the media has every right to be there because the females have been shut down for many years and need some platform to raise their concerns because no one, the University as well can’t help them and it’s a shame!
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