Woman's death shows change needed in PNG police

10:49 am on 17 January 2017

The association of counsellors for survivors of domestic violence in Papua New Guinea says the death of a woman fatally injured by her policeman husband shows a cultural change is needed within the PNG police force.

Papua New Guinea police officers watch on during a protest rally in 2013.

Papua New Guinea police officers watch on during a protest rally. Photo: AFP

Priscilla Wonga, who was 25, died last week after she was paralysed by a brutal beating last year.

The President of the PNG Counsellors Association, Susan Setae said a public awareness campaign about gender based violence was not getting through to the police.

"This campaigning we are doing has seemed to have no affect on change of attitudes and mindset of our young policemen and I know that men in the uniform have used that as means to violate women and society in general."

She said Priscilla Wonga's husband was probably yet to be arrested as he's being protected by friends within the police force.

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