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Nor'West News: August 13, 2020

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NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />

Thursday <strong>August</strong> <strong>13</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 5<br />

and children experiencing violence<br />

Why is an organisation like<br />

The Christchurch Aunties<br />

important for the community?<br />

The immediate importance<br />

of The Christchurch Aunties<br />

is that we relieve the mental<br />

load for women and children<br />

experiencing family violence<br />

and vulnerability, and we also<br />

relieve the mental load of the staff<br />

who are caring for them. Our<br />

donations go towards keeping<br />

people warm, safe, and feeling<br />

valued.<br />

Another important role<br />

we have is to cultivate the<br />

nurturing and generous side<br />

of the Canterbury community<br />

that we’ve seen so much of in<br />

the past 10 years. People really<br />

want to help and learn, but don’t<br />

always know how. So we gently<br />

introduce people to the concept<br />

of volunteering and support, and<br />

how to donate effectively so that<br />

recipients feel respected.<br />

What are the major issues<br />

currently impacting those who<br />

you serve, and why?<br />

The issue that we’ve seen<br />

recently impacting families is<br />

Covid-19 and the lockdown.<br />

This situation became like a<br />

pressure cooker of social isolation<br />

and financial stress for many.<br />

Children were home from school<br />

and saw the violence happening.<br />

Solo parents struggled to get<br />

supplies as they couldn’t leave<br />

their children at home, but<br />

also couldn’t take them to the<br />

supermarket.<br />

In the days before level 4,<br />

we frantically gave out all our<br />

supplies of toiletries, activities,<br />

and fuel/supermarket vouchers<br />

to organisations – not knowing<br />

when we’d be able to supply them<br />

again.<br />

Luckily we were granted<br />

essential status, but the increased<br />

demand for basic donations<br />

of toiletries, security gear, and<br />

vouchers have continued.<br />

Canterbury has functioned<br />

with a post-traumatic stress<br />

disorder faultline running under<br />

us since 2010. So although the<br />

lockdown was the catalyst for<br />

recent spikes in family violence,<br />

there has been an increase for<br />

some time.<br />

The social workers and support<br />

staff who we see working with<br />

the clients and families have dealt<br />

with the increase for so long,<br />

that I think it’s become the ‘new<br />

normal’. They do an incredible<br />

job.<br />

IMPACT:<br />

Christchurch<br />

Youth<br />

Council<br />

co-ordinator<br />

Kate<br />

Burgess (left)<br />

helps The<br />

Christchurch<br />

Aunties<br />

founder<br />

Heather<br />

Milne deliver<br />

jackets to<br />

families in<br />

need.<br />

What are some<br />

misconceptions about family<br />

violence and vulnerability that<br />

the average person may not<br />

know about? Why is this the<br />

case?<br />

There is a very common<br />

assumption that family violence<br />

happens to people in other<br />

neighbourhoods and to other<br />

families. A very mistaken belief<br />

is that family violence is only<br />

experienced by people who are<br />

struggling financially. For a long<br />

time, family violence wasn’t<br />

talked about in New Zealand, so<br />

I think a lot of misconceptions<br />

sprung up simply from ignorance<br />

– and humans are reluctant to<br />

change their thought patterns.<br />

There are Christchurch aunties<br />

out there who have experienced<br />

violence and vulnerability in<br />

the past or have supported their<br />

family or friends through the<br />

system. These people are from<br />

diverse backgrounds and cultures.<br />

They are from all walks of life.<br />

Moving forward, how can<br />

organisations and society better<br />

support those experiencing<br />

these hardships and the<br />

reduction of harm within<br />

homes? And why?<br />

As a society, we can’t make<br />

any real impact until we stop<br />

and listen. I urge people to get<br />

educated on family violence and<br />

poverty in New Zealand. Be<br />

open-minded and learn about<br />

your unconscious bias. Listen to<br />

those who speak from experience<br />

– they know more than you<br />

do on this subject. It’s okay to<br />

change the way you think about<br />

things. Your behaviour with<br />

these simple steps will inspire<br />

others, including children. Know<br />

who to contact for advice and<br />

support when someone you know<br />

comes to you angry or hurt.<br />

There are a whole lot of great<br />

people out there who can help.<br />

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