White Ribbon riders say time to end violence

The annual White Ribbon Ride has finished at parliament with a message to challenge the unspoken rules about how men should behave.

Spokesperson Rob McCann says messages like ‘boys don’t cry’ and ‘toughen up’ put pressure on young men and women and can lead to negative attitudes and behaviours.

New Zealand has the highest rate of reported violence towards women in the developed world, and 41 percent of frontline police time is spent dealing with family violence.

He says violence is not just about anger.

"The type of violence we're talking about is being used to control people in relationships so it is ongoing and systematic use of power and control, whether it's psychological violence, physical violence, sexual violence of financial violence. That's what we see in the homes so often creating so many unhealthy relationships that in many cases end up before the courts or police," Mr McCann says.

Follow us on &

Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com

RELATED NEWS

Climate plan – cut cars, cut cows, grow trees TPP too risky for Maori Party E rere tonu te puehu