Press Release – White Ribbon Day 2009.

Officially released today are the plans for Counties Manukau social service agencies to support White Ribbon Day and Supa Maori Fullas on their whistle stop tour of the North Island during ‘RIDE 09’.

‘South Auckland Family Violence Prevention Network’, the ‘Combined Refuges Group’ Counties Manukau Police and ‘Eastern Womens Refuge; Men’s Caucus’ are encouraging people and agencies to join in the kaupapa and stand up against violence toward women.

The ‘Super Maori Fullas’ will arrive at ASB Showgrounds at 11.00am on Friday 27th, November. Anti- violence agencies and supporters will welcome them as they take the Manukau off-ramp and enter the Events Centre gates.

This event is a fitting conclusion to the annual Counties Manukau “Choose 2 B violence free” education and prevention week, held from the 1st to the 7th November. “Our own local education week is a major undertaking for the network, where we take our message to our people, in our own communities” states Ms Suzanne Pene from the South Auckland Family Violence Prevention Network. “Supporting the kaupapa is very important to our agencies.”

The Combined Refuges group is a coalition of affiliated and non- affiliated Refuges from Warkworth to the Bombays. Representatives from the 17 Refuges represented are looking forward to supporting the event. “Our aim is that the 2009 White Ribbon events encourage more people to acknowledge violence toward women as a real social issue in this country,” states Rhonda Cox-Nissen of Eastern Womens Refuge. “If one in three women in this country have been the victim of family violence, doesn’t that mean that one of those women could be your mother, your sister, your cousin or even your grandmother? I wonder how well that really sits with men in this country?”

It doesn’t sit well for the Eastern Refuge; Men’s caucus. Being their first anniversary with the Refuge movement, they are looking forward to continuing their work and supporting Super Maori Fullas. “This year has been one of learning for us, learning how we can work within the refuge movement, exploring how we can effect real change for our communities and our men and ensuring that we uphold the principles of Whanau and manaakitanga, as well as their mana as individuals” says Thomas Hohaia from the caucus.

The agencies and supporters encourage as many people as possible to join in and meet the’ Super Maori Fullas’, check out the riders’ wheels and stand up against violence against women.

The public are encouraged to meet at ASB Showgrounds 10.30am on the 27th November, 2009.

Two buses will be provided and leaving from Manukau Shopping centre at 10.30 am, to the showground’s.

ENDS

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