Headline: White Ribbon Day a Time to Remember Sexual Violence Victims
Labour is calling on New Zealanders to reflect on the devastating and ongoing affects of sexual violence against women during tomorrow’s White Ribbon Day, Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Carol Beaumont says.
“White Ribbon Day takes place this year amid an outpouring of community anger about sexual violence against women in response to the West Auckland predatory youth sex gang.
“Thousands of Kiwis have taken to the streets and 110,000 signed a petition to Parliament to express their concerns about a youth culture which fails to treat women with respect and inappropriate responses to sexual abuse.
“New Zealand has high rates of domestic violence. It is something our former Governor General Dame Sylvia Cartwright famously referred to as our ‘dark secret’ and is in stark contrast to our international reputation as peace-keepers and defenders of human rights.
“The statistics on violence against women paint a shocking picture:
One in three women will experience partner violence at some point in their lives.
On average, 14 women are killed by their partners or ex partners each year.
More than 3,500 convictions are recorded against men each year for assaults on women.
Only 20 per cent of domestic violence cases are reported.
Only 7 per cent of sexual abuse cases are reported to police.
Of sexual abuse cases reported, only 1 per cent result in conviction.
“All Labour’s male MPs have taken this year’s international pledge and Labour encourages all other men to do the same.
“The pledge this year is: ‘I promise never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence towards women.’
“Labour believes more can be done to reduce rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. The Government must act now to improve police responses, improve the justice system for victims of violence, increase funding for education programmes focussed on awareness, prevention and respectful relationships, and ensure there are adequate resources to support survivors of violence,” Carol Beaumont says.
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