New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush has joined with his Australian Police Commissioner colleagues at Parliament House in Canberra this morning to take a stand on violence against women and children.
“Last week, I was honoured to become an ambassador for the White Ribbon campaign. This morning, I stand with my colleagues in Australia to reaffirm our united commitment to address the damage family violence inflicts upon our communities,” said Commissioner Bush.
“As a frontline officer, I was often shocked at the level of violence inflicted on women and children and the damage it caused to families. The long-term social costs of family violence are well established, which is why NZ Police are working with our partner agencies, men, whānau, and communities with the aim of ensuring all women and children are free from violence, fear and intimidation.”
“While it is White Ribbon day tomorrow, it is every day, in every month, every year, that we as a society must be proactive to promote and build safer families for everyone,” said Mr Bush.
The growth and success of the White Ribbon campaign shows that New Zealand attitudes toward family violence are changing with a growing intolerance towards violence against women and children. This is also reflected through the increases in recorded family violence.
However, there continues to be a large numbers of incidents which go unreported. Police encourage family and community members to stand up, speak out and report family violence as all New Zealanders have the right to be safe and feel safe in their communities and in their own homes.
“New Zealanders can feel confident and trust that Police will continue our victim focused approach to preventing family violence and hold offenders to account.”
“As a society, we have to move forward from being aware of the violence, to take more action. To hold people to account and provide the help that they need. Only then will we start to create a violence free future for nga whänau” say Mr Bush.
NZ Police officers across the country will be participating in a number of White Ribbon events tomorrow. For more information on White Ribbon events: http://whiteribbon.org.nz/
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Issued by Mere Wilson Tuala-Fata, PNHQ, 021 192 2918.
