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Voices from Māori and Pacific Women and Girls

On 10 March 2025 Britt Myren from Atria participated in the session: “Voices from Māori and Pacific Women and Girls of Aotearoa New Zealand - violence against women”. Indigenous women from New Zealand and the Pacific disproportionately experience domestic- and partner violence. The Māori living in New Zealand are part of a marginalized, stigmatized group that generally has lower income and lower levels of education. While 1 in 3 women in New Zealand experience gender-based violence, Māori women have a 55% chance of experiencing violence in their lives. In the Pacific islands these rates are similar and in some cases even higher.

Panel members:
•    Dr. Hope Tupara (President of Māori Women’s Welfare League)
•    Mele Wendt, MNZM (Vice President of PACIFICA Inc.)
•    Repeka Lelaulu (President of PACIFICA Inc.)
•    Caroline Herewini, MNZM (Kaiwhakahaere/ Chief Executive of Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge)

In this session, Dr. Hope Tupara, Mele Wendt and Repeka Lelaulu explained the context and situation for women in this vast and culturally diverse area. They spoke about the ‘Nga Vaka a Kāiga Tapu Pacific Family Violence Prevention Programme’ that has been developed on eight different islands (different countries). They have all created their own framework on which the prevention and approach to domestic violence and intimate partner violence (IPV) is based. They worked - and work - intensively with community leaders to develop and implement these frameworks which are based on cultural principles, norms and ideas.

Rituals of Engagement

Caroline Herewini explained how she developed their framework from the Māori based on their “rituals of engagement”. She showed how their rituals and ways of welcoming someone into their home, and exchanging consent, form the basis for how these indigenous groups of women allow someone into their homes and their lives. Including what respect means to them. She explained how they arrange their homes and how protective they are about their homes and their families. During the implementation of the prevention program, they made it clear how important it is for the professionals to not wear any uniforms, in order to gain trust.

Risk factors to violence

The reasons for domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, are always layered and complex. During this session a question was raised about whether violence is more common among these communities because of their cultural context. But the reality is that violence occurs everywhere, in any country or social circle. On the other hand, groups that are marginalized are more likely to live in poverty, have lower levels of education, fewer opportunities, experience more racism or fear of abandonment and are more likely to revert to rigid gender stereotypes to reinforce their position. These are all risk factors to becoming a victim or a perpetrator of gender-based violence.

One of the speakers had experienced domestic violence in her own marriage and spoke about her situation during the session. The causes were complex, but after years of receiving support from professionals, seeking therapy and even by sharing their experience in public, they actually found a way to stay together. And they are still together now after more than 30 years.

By Britt Myren, Atria

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