Call on Government and Children’s Commissioner to prioritise child sexual violence.

TE OHAAKII A HINE - NATIONAL NETWORK ENDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE TOGETHER·THURSDAY, 30 JUNE 2016

TOAH-NNEST strongly supports the call for the new Children’s Commissioner to place particularly focused attention on the issue of Sexual Violence against children and youth.

In Aotearoa, professionals seeking to tackle this problem have struggled for many years to achievethe attention and focus in communities. While it is an unpalatable topic, the community’s silence merely assists its continuation. Maggy Tai Rakena, Tauiwi Chair of TN says “It is really encouraging to hear our communities more recently expressing their outrage that our children and young people are harmed in sexual ways”.

Sexual Violence is an extremely complex problem that requires a well-researched, well planned and well-resourced response. It will also require a whole of community response. About 90% of sexual offending against children is perpetrated by people known to them. A process of grooming or conning the other adults in the child’s life often enables the offender access. That suggests that if all of NZ’s adults had better information and awareness about sexual violence, collectively we would be better equipped to keep all of our children safe. Sexual Violence is a solvable problem, it requires us all to play our part. It is definitely time for some focused resourcing of the remedies and solutions that are required.

Nga Kaitiaki Mauri Kaitakawaenga/National Manager Sandz Peipi says ”Aotearoa is long overdue for a brave conversation about the sexualized ways being perpetrated on children, ignoring it will not make it go away magically. There are some great opportunities for government to recognise solutions available through indigenous frameworks developed from a maori world view”.

Tangata whenua are known leaders within the international indigenous audience and have spent many years engaging and building relationships with this community to assist and respond to the impact of colonisation worldwide, it is now time for Aotearoa to recognise the real solutions we hold, this will not only ensure a better outcome for Maori but I believe a better response for all. Existing service delivery will only be enhanced through the inclusion and resourcing of our services, providing people with greater access and choice.

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