June 24, 2014
Higher reporting of Maori violence
The chief executive of the Owen Glenn Inquiry into family violence and child abuse says it’s definitely not just a Maori problem.
The just-published People’s Report includes the stories of 500 people from all walks of society who came forward to be interviewed.
Kirsten Rei says New Zealand police deal with more 87,000 domestic violence incidents every year, and there are more than 100,000 notifications to Child, Youth and Family.
While there is a public perception Maori are overrepresented, many Pakeha women came forward to say it was not just a problem with the poor and brown.
"We speak up perhaps more than others so what we heard from middle class pakeha whanau were that they had a double jeopardy, that when the policeman knocks on their door the father or the husband can often say it doesn't happen in our family I don't know what shes talking about. So they don't have any sort of recourse " she says.
Kirsten Rei says a nationwide programme is needed to deal with violence.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KIRSTEN REI CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTkzNzk=
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