Davis: Stand up and be counted

SPEAKING UP: Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis - shining a light on sexual violence.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis is hoping he will have plenty of company when he sets off from the bottom of his electorate, West Auckland, tomorrow, bound for the top, Cape Reinga.

He will spend 17 days on the road, promoting his cause, Men Against Sexual Violence (MASSIVE), as he goes, but his real reward will be a shift in attitudes towards the scourge of sexual violence.

MASSIVE, he said, was not an organisation rather it was a rallying cry for any man who opposed sexual violence, against anybody, in any shape or form, be it verbal, physical or emotional.

"In any given forum to address sexual violence only 10 per cent of attendees will be men, but men perpetrate 90 per cent of sexual violence," he said.

"Men need to be part of the solution, and our aim is to increase the number of men involved in stopping sexual violence, against anybody, by encouraging them to speak out, intervene and educate."

The MASSIVE logo, a bird on a flax bush, was inspired by the Maori proverb, 'If you rip out the heart of the flax, where will the bellbird sing?'

"In the same way damage to the flax bush prevents the bellbird from displaying its full magnificence, sexual violence prevents the many affected by it from achieving their full magnificence," he said.

"The flax bush also represents family and community, where, sadly, too much sexual violence occurs.

"The proverb ends by asking what is the greatest thing of all? It is people. We are doing this for our people."

The 17-day walk to Te Rerenga Wairua was aimed at raising awareness and encouraging people to speak out about sexual violence, be they survivors, bystanders, even perpetrators.

"Generations are crippled by the 'big secret' they carry for most of their lives. It has got to stop," Mr Davis added.

"We particularly encourage today's young people to be the first generation to speak out en masse, and to promote healthy, respectful relationships. That's why we hope to visit secondary schools along the way to encourage young people to speak out."

A 'Give a Little' site had also been created for the public to show their support and to raise funds to support sexual violence agencies in Te Tai Tokerau.