Listen Now: 
January 20, 2013
Counselling cost burden for abuse rangatahi
Waatea Team
Posted On January 20, 2013
The head of a far north trust is calling for more help for families caught up in a wave of sex abuse cases in the region.
Ricky Houghton from Te Korowai Atawhai says the prosecution of Pamapuria School Deputy Principal James Parker on abuse charges has more disclosures by abused children, with several other alleged offenders before the courts in recent weeks.
He says in an area with an average annual income of $22,000, the lack of resources close at hand is creating challenges for the children and their families to get the help they need.
"What happens is everything has been centralised to a call centre. The victims need to get professional treatment but that treatment isn't available in our region and that's the difficult thing, so while they fund the help, they don't fund the transport to get their families to trained professionals," Mr Houghton says.
He says the isolated nature of many communities in the far north means children often need transport from trusted adults to take part in activities like sport and kapa haka, which can make them vulnerable to predators.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd
RELATED NEWS
