'Leave that lady alone': rugby star's domestic violence video sparks outcry in Papua New Guinea
A shocking video that appears to show a Papua New Guinean sports star being beaten by her partner has sparked outrage across the country and prompted calls for the government to take urgent action to address high rates of violence against women.
Graphic photographs and a video that appear to show a man repeatedly head-butting a woman and hitting her across the face with a hot clothing iron were widely shared across social media in Papua New Guinea over the weekend, sparking outrage.
Rugby star Debbie Kaore identified herself as the woman in the video and said it showed her being attacked by her partner, Murray Oa, a Lieutenant in the Papua New Guinea army, with whom she has a two-month-old baby.
“I got burned by an iron and then hit by it while our children watched,” she wrote on social media. “A victim to Lt. Murry Oa … I am putting this out here cause this has gone too far. I can only hope that there won’t be another victim after me.”
Debbie Kaore has won gold for Papua New Guinea in boxing at the Pacific Games in 2015 and recently made the switch to rugby sevens, representing her country at the HSBC
World Series last year.
On Monday, police announced that they had arrested and charged Oa with one count of causing grievous bodily harm.
The 33-year-old was escorted by military police to Boroko police station on Sunday and has been detained at the Boroko cells. The arrest came after Kaore, 30, filed a complaint with police.
Speaking to the Guardian following Oa’s arrest, Kaore said that she is happy that he is locked up behind bars, but had concerns for her safety and that of her family, saying Oa’s supporters have sent threats to her.
“I feel the situation is getting intense because his supporters are accusing me of providing false information. I just hope that people don’t take matters into their own hands and let the law deal with it.”
Gender inequality is a huge problem in Papua New Guinea where 67% of women in the country have suffered from some form of domestic abuse. Most cases do not get reported because the victims are often afraid to come forward.
On the heels of the incident, Papua New Guinea’s prime minister, James Marape, released a statement on Sunday condemning violence against women.
“This [gender-based violence] is not a Melanesian thing, this is not cultural, don’t use those excuses, this is real character we talking. Brothers and sons, leave that lady alone, exercise [restraint], don’t jeopardize your own future, your children’s future and your wife’s health and future.”
The PNG Olympic committee and the PNG Rugby Union released statements expressing their horror at the alleged attack, describing Kaore as an amazing woman, mother and athlete who won gold medal for the country at the 2015 Pacific Games.