Papua New Guinea
Papua Niugini
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on the situation of homosexuals all over the world may not be completely
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Updated 99-11-26
Papua New Guinea:
Illegal / Legal
Male homosexuality is illegal in Papua New Guinea. Female homosexuality is legal (not mentioned in the law). Male homosexuality is punishable with five to seven years' imprisonment. Anal intercourse is punishable with up to 14 years' imprisonment.
This said, in many of the Niuginian cultures homosexual sex is quite common and tolerated. On New Guinea, sex between men and boys is part of some cultures. Sodomy formed part of the initiation rites when boys became men, and the belief that young boys needed to be inseminated with the semen of older men to grow and become fertile induced young boys to actively seek out older men, relatives or not, and form a very close bond with this person during adolescence. Young boys are even sometimes rejected by their mothers, so that they will spend more time with grown men, and to find an "inseminator". The insemination procedure practised varies between the tribes, from the rubbing of semen over a boys body, to oral or anal intercourse resulting in ejaculation. This homosexual practice was not considered as an obligation, but was rather grounded on personal affection, and the relationship would be very close until the boy was old enough to marry. Bear in mind, though, that this was the situation in a part of the island.
Papua New Guinea is in many ways a very violent place. Lots of killings happen, and even the police is reportedly afraid to go out at night. AIDS is rampant, especially due to the many unreported cases. Most sources do not recommend it to tourists, however, using caution and common sense, a visit to parts of Papua New Guinea could be a fantastic experience.
Papua New Guinea gained its independence from Australia in 1975.
If you have any further information
on the current situation in Papua New Guinea, please contact
me.
| Age of consent | Male-Female | Male-Male | Female-Female |
| Papua New Guinea | 16 | X | 16 |
Suffrage is 18.
Further information on Papua New Guinea can be found at:
Papua New Guinea Online (Niugini.com)
Post Courier Online - Niuginian newspaper
UNPO
- Bougainville (in conflict with PNG since 1975)
| Statistics:
Monarchy,
Oceania
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