Release 29 October 2007

“Communities change communities” is the theme for Family Violence Awareness Week in Counties Manukau

Counties Manukau’s Family Violence Awareness week and teal ribbon campaign will be launched at a breakfast event to be held at Friendship House, Manukau City Centre, on Monday 5 November and media are welcome to attend.

Speakers at the breakfast include new Mayor of Manukau Len Brown and representatives from the judiciary, police, Ministry of Social Development and other community organisations.

This year the theme is ‘Communities change communities’. During the week, the Choose 2 B Violence Free bus will visit shopping centres throughout Counties Manukau from Otahuhu to Tuakau. On board at each location will be members of community support agencies who will make themselves known to local families. They will also distribute teal ribbons.

South Auckland Family Violence Prevention Network (SAFVPN) is coordinating the week’s activities. Co-manager Suzanne Pene says:

“We encourage people to wear our ribbon as a personal commitment against every form of family violence, child abuse, partner abuse and elder abuse, irrespective of who is the perpetrator.

“The awareness week helps to raise the profile of community solutions to family violence and supports national campaigns like the Ministry of Social Developments “It’s Not OK” campaign, currently running on national television,” says Suzanne.

More information on the event as well as times and dates the bus will be in your area can be found at www.beviolencefree.org.nz.

What: Launch of Counties Manukau Family Violence Awareness Week When: 8.30am, Monday, 5 November Where: Friendship House, 20 Putney Way, Manukau City Centre

Notes to editors:

SAVFPN is a network of non-governmental organisations, local and central government, schools, community and whanau of Counties Manukau whose interests lie in collaborative action against violence in our community.

Statistics show that incidences of family violence increase over the Christmas period. The awareness week has been timed to help support police and reduce the frequency of incidents during this time.

New Zealand Family violence statistics:

- Every year about 10 children are killed in New Zealand by a member or members of their family.

-Between 20 November 05 and January 06, six women were killed by their partners or former partners, leaving 19 children without their mother.

-During December 05 and January 06 police attended nearly 11,000 incidents of reported family violence

– that’s about 1 incident every 8 minutes. More than 6,000 children witnessed this violence; more than half were under 5 years old.

ENDS

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