This paper addresses how Christianity, and in particular Catholicism, is deployed in response to gender-based violence (GBV) in Papua New Guinea. It provides insights into the various ways the Catholic community, Church, and its clergy respond to and manage GBV. Focusing on a case study in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, the article reveals how Gender Equality Theology is used and received to address GBV in this region. What transpires is that despite supporting social change, Gender Equality Theology also advocates a particular status quo by essentialising gender relations, and thereby excluding non-binary gender identifications and relations. The article will discuss this paradox, highlighting the importance of vernacularisation and how despite its conservatism, Gender Equality Theology provides victims, survivors, counselors, and activists with resources to respond to GBV and change gender inequality in the region.

中文翻译：

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性别平等神学和本质主义：天主教对巴布亚新几内亚基于性别的暴力和不平等的回应

本文阐述了基督教，尤其是天主教，是如何被部署以应对巴布亚新几内亚的基于性别的暴力 (GBV)。它提供了对天主教社区、教会及其神职人员应对和管理 GBV 的各种方式的见解。这篇文章着眼于巴布亚新几内亚布干维尔自治区的一个案例研究，揭示了性别平等神学是如何被使用和接受来解决该地区的 GBV 问题的。发生的是，尽管支持社会变革，性别平等神学也通过将性别关系本质化来提倡特定的现状，从而排除非二元性别认同和关系。这篇文章将讨论这个悖论，强调本土化的重要性，以及尽管其保守主义，性别平等神学如何为受害者、幸存者、