The potential for restorative justice approaches in schools in Papua New Guinea in the context of an epidemic of family and sexual violence and widespread crime

Abstract

Recent research into family violence in PNG’s second city of Lae has revealed disturbing patterns of family violence impacting upon children and their schooling. Whilst many women struggle to cope with physical and psychological abuse, their children risk slipping into crime and drug abuse and sometimes into perpetrating family violence themselves. Despite Melanesia having long standing traditions of restorative approaches to justice, schools predominantly employ punitive responses to student misconduct. Such a punitive response often results in excluding students who are already suffering from multiple family and social problems, thus helping to perpetuate cycles of violence and poverty. This paper presents new empirical data on the experiences of a number of schools that are consciously adopting a different approach, seeking to include rather than exclude problematic students, and to engage the students’ wider support structures to keep them in school. We discuss the motivations behind the individuals spearheading these changes, the challenges they have faced and their successes, even amongst schools located in some of the most violent and socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Show more