September 12, 2019
Challenging kōrero on sexual violence
As the Labour Party mounts an investigation into whether allegations of sexual violence by a parliamentary staffer were properly reported and addressed, across Wellington at the Wharewaka the National Coalition of Specialist Domestic Violence Service Providers is holding a conference on sexual and domestic violence prevention and intervention.
Helen Leahy from South Island Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga says the theme of Challenging Conversations and Complicated Spaces is timely.
She says sexual and family violence need to be confronted wherever it happens, whether that's in the corridors of parliament, the courtrooms of the North Shore, in secondary school classrooms and in homes.
"What we often see with specialist services is the tip of the iceberg and what Whānau Ora is looking at of course is the whole iceberg, that we need to be talking and having those challenging conversations with our children who are intimidated or being bullied at school or in homes. intimate partner violence has become normalised as part of our New Zealand experience," Ms Leahy says.
Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com