In a drive to improve protection and legal support for family and sexual violence survivors, frontline advocates from various organisations have received training on how to apply for Interim Protection Orders (IPOs).
The Public Solicitor’s Office (PSO) trained advocates from organisations such as safe houses, churches and non-government organisations, as well as members of the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee, on the Family Protection Act, Lukautim Pikinini Act and other aspects of family law.
The workshops provide guidance on how to provide practical support to family and sexual violence survivors, including helping them apply for Interim Protection Orders (IPOs), and making statements and affidavits. All of this improves the survivor’s access to legal aid.
Natasha Kasa, Senior Legal Officer in the PSO’s Advisory Division, said the priority in helping survivors was to ensure that they received the protection they needed and were safe from further violence. Training frontline advocates in how to apply for IPOs would improve survivors’ access to protection.
“It makes a big difference if we can get the first contact person to assist the survivor with this important process,” Ms Kasa said.
“If you have a referral partner who can do an IPO, that means lawyers can concentrate on more complex matters like custody. As long as the survivor is safe, [lawyers] can work on those technical aspects.”
Human rights defender Madaline Poo was among 20 advocates attending the workshop in Port Moresby and said the knowledge gained would help survivors break out of the cycle of abuse.
Ms Poo, a councillor from Sabama Ward in Moresby South, said all too often communities and village courts use compensation to settle cases of family violence, resulting in survivors returning to abusive partners and prolonging the cycle of violence.
“When they do compensation, it reunites families, and then it all happens again,” she said.
“At the end of this course I feel able to stop this cycle because I can help the survivor get an IPO.”
The training is supported by the Australian Government.
If you or someone you know is experiencing violence and needs help, call the 1-Tok Kaunselling Helpim Lain on 7150 8000 between 7am–7pm.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100
PSO Senior Legal Officer Natasha Kasa (standing) instructs advocates on how to apply for an Interim Protection Order on behalf of a family violence survivor.