Kia mataara: This story discusses sexual violence
Political parties are being challenged to back their promises to prevent sexual violence with clear policies and sustained funding, as specialist services warn of gaps across the political spectrum these elections.
TOAH-NNEST, a network representing 47 specialist kaupapa Māori and tauiwi organisations, has assessed seven parties’ commitments to kaupapa Māori services, sustainable funding and justice reform, and have given each a ranking.
Spokesperson, Russell Smith, says the sector is tired of repeating its calls for action.
“When we looked at the scorecard, it wasn’t good. People have said, within different parties, we’re going to do something about it, but there is no evidence of that within their policies.”
The networks report that around 1 in 6 people aged 13 to 19 in Aotearoa have experienced sexual harm, rising to 23 percent for rangatahi Māori.
Political uncertainty
He says the issue is even more pressing with elections only days away, saying changes in government brings periods of uncertainty around action.
“I’m having the same conversation with you today as we were having actually 20 plus years ago.”
For advocate and survivor Patricia Walsh, prevention and greater access to kaupapa Māori services is priority, saying it allows not only victims but also perpetrators to have more options for support.
“If there are no perpetrators there will be no victims, so we need to work in the spaces with those who use harmful sexual behaviours, so that they learn to manage the triggers,” she says.
“It’s being able to have that choice, where we haven’t always had that choice. When someone sexually violates you, you don’t have a choice.”
Walsh says also being able to access practitioners who look and sound like her can make a difference.
“I’m hoping that we can invest in services that are going to bring people through to reach their full potential and not take away the funding or the resource from this, because if it was me as little Tricia, I would think that nobody cared.”
Best and worst party scores
The assessment covers National, ACT, Labour, the Greens, Opportunity, New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori.
Those who came out on top were Te Pāti Māori and the Greens, while ACT and New Zealand First scored the lowest.
Current Minister for Prevention of Family and Sexual violence, ACT’s Karen Chhour, acknowledges that an assessment based on their policies could produce a low score.
“Parties might not often have a policy in this space, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t something that they are passionate about,” she says, later touching on her own lived experience.
Chhour points to ACT’s proposal to address the use of pets to keep people in violent relationships, alongside the government’s work on stalking and harassment.
When asked about any future for more kaupapa Māori solutions, Chhour states “where there’s a need, there should be a service”.
“No matter what population you belong to, whether it be te ao Māori, Pasifika, disabilities, young people, children, the strategy that’s been put in place, the Te Ao Rerekura strategy, has those seven priority areas.”
Asked why she had not renewed the membership of Te Pūkotahitanga, the dedicated tangata whenua advisory group, despite Māori being disproportionately affected, Chhour defended her decision.
“What I need is advice for all New Zealanders and not just one population. Whilst Māori might be overrepresented in the numbers, that doesn’t mean that other populations aren’t affected also, and so I’m here to serve all New Zealanders, not just one population,” she says.
Eliminating violence
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson commented on Chhour’s choice saying she would look at reinstating the “the importance of tangata whenua led leadership at all levels”.
“The sector across the board was very, very clear that the only way to succeed in the strategy, in the generational strategy of eliminating violence for everyone is to centre Te Tiriti, crown Maori relationship, but also kaupapa Maori practice.”
Davidson alleges the current government removed sexual violence prevention funding she had allocated while minister. She says the Greens would restore and prioritise funding, including for kaupapa Māori services and specialist support for disabled, Rainbow, ethnic, refugee and migrant communities.
She did not provide a specific new funding amount or delivery date for those priorities in the interview.
Action across parties
All parties except Opportunity Party were able to comment on their scoring.
National: National promises if re-elected consent law reform and an end to good character assessments at sentencing for convicted sex offenders. They pointed to their work in criminalising stalking and harassment as well as toughening sentencing laws.
Te Pāti Māori: The party promises sustainable funding for kaupapa Māori and specialist services, national prevention campaigns and that they will work with TOAH-NNEST and community organisations to create a roadmap to ending the issue.
NZ First: New Zealand First says it supports funding communities to prevent sexual violence and intervene early, including through kaupapa Māori programmes. The party also wants to explicitly define consent as an affirmative ‘yes’ through words and actions, rather than the absence of a ‘no’.
Labour: At the time of comment, Labour said its policies were yet to be released. Its spokesperson outlined support for community-responsive services, coordination across portfolios and greater accountability for technology companies over online child sexual abuse.
For Smith, the response needs to extend beyond election cycles and parties.
“We’d like to see cross party, because sexual violence affects, sexual violence doesn’t care what party you belong to. It doesn’t care what indigenous community you belong to...Sexual violence affects everyone.”
