Santos rolls out domestic violence awareness sessions

Santos staff and contractors during an evening in-person DV awareness session.

The Santos Foundation organised domestic violence (DV) or family and sexual violence (FSV) awareness sessions through its gender program for Santos employees and contractors in the lead up to and after the elimination of violence against women (EVAW) day. The team has delivered these sessions for the staff and contractors in Port Moresby and to the three Santos camps offsite.

Through these awareness sessions, over 300 staff and contractors have been reached. The Santos Medical and Wellbeing team were the first team to undergo the sessions, given their role as Santos’ first point of contact for DV or FSV incidences, given their medical background and presence in all Santos locations. The Port Moresby staff were reached through three virtual sessions and the off-field site visits included 3 in-person sessions and 3 virtual sessions for each of the three sites.

The objective of the sessions was to increase participant awareness on what DV is and its different forms and impact, how they can respond to conflict to avoid the risk of violence and how they can access support services. It was also important to note that DV is not just experienced by women and children, men are also impacted by DV. As part of the Santos response to domestic violence, the organisation implements a DV procedure that ensures a safe, consistent, supportive, non-judgemental workplace in which employees exposed to DV can readily seek support. Through the Santos Medical & Wellbeing team, staff can access medical assistance as well as referral to in-house counselling support or to the Bel isi PNG initiative.

Santos is a key partner and subscriber to Bel isi PNG and staff and contractors were also informed of the Bel isi PNG services. The sessions included information on the Bel isi case management centre (CMC) and the services provided from the CMC. It also included information around Bel isi safe house and information around who can access this service. The information sessions also included BCFW’s organisational support available to subscribing organisations how they can help support with education awareness for Santos staff.

The sessions were delivered in a mix of Tok Pisin and English.