Tough talk needed for whanau safety

CHALLENGING IDEAS: Helen Potiki, principal analyst for the Ministry For Women, discusses research into keeping Maori women and children safe from family violence. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Violence against Maori women is not a pleasant subject, says one expert, but it is a conversation needed for change.

At Te Koutu Rd yesterday about 30 people gathered to discuss the Ministry of Women's Wahine Maori, Wahine Ora, Wahine Kaha - Preventing Violence against Maori women research report.

The open discussion was one of many the ministry is having across the country and principal analyst Helen Potiki said she would gladly return to the city to work further with different agencies.

"It's not an exciting thing to talk about but what's positive is that everyone in the room wants change and is impatient for change," Ms Potiki said.

"It's been great. It's important these conversations are happening in regions throughout New Zealand. It's not just Auckland and Wellington. Violence is happening across New Zealand, we know that, so it's important to have these discussions in the communities where people are doing good work.

"It's not a pleasant issue."

She said of the group yesterday that most were from service providers, such as Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Child Youth and Family and Women's Refuge.

"A handful also came along representing their whanau interests and that's fantastic," Ms Potiki said.

The research report was released in February and highlighted the importance of whanau and the community in preventing violence against Maori women and children.

It was undertaken by the Ministry for Women in partnership with the Ministry for Social Development and reinforces how whanau and the community have a role to play in keeping them safe.

As well as discussing the role of education and employment in supporting women's safety, the research also showed how healthy relationships between men and women within whanau and within the community helped prevent violence.

Among the discussions at Te Koutu Marae were the importance of connections to iwi and whanau, matauranga Maori (body of knowledge) and ko wai ahau (who am I?).

Ms Potiki said she would report back to the ministry with the suggestions and experiences shared at the Rotorua session. It was also attended by Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne and Inspector Anaru Pewhairangi, district manager for community, Maori and youth.