Violence is widely perceived to be a serious problem in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but there is substantial geographical variation and data is limited on the nature and causes of violence. There is some evidence to suggest that violent trauma is a leading cause of injury and death in PNG, and in some parts of the Highlands provinces, trauma is the leading cause of death amongst adults and a large proportion of injuries are intentionally inflicted.
This paper discusses the nature, triggers and consequence of violence in the Hela region of PNG.