Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Cooks domestic violence tackled by NZ police and rugby stars

Posted at 05:38 on 21 November, 2012 UTC

Police from New Zealand and the Cook Islands and several prominent New Zealand rugby union and league players are teaming up to combat domestic violence.

The Break the Silence End the Violence message will be delivered by a group including Hurricanes coach, Mark Hammett, TJ Perenara of the Hurricanes, former league star Awen Guttenbeil and Mahonri Schwalger of the Chiefs.

It is part of the New Zealand aid programme’s Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme.

Its spokesperson, Cam Ronald, says one of the best ways of preventing violence was for young men and women to see role models promoting the message to schools and community groups.

“We will prepare them with some key messages to get across and then they develop their own message and they say why they are there and why they think it’s important people shouldn’t be violent towards each other particularly in a family situation.”

Cam Ronald of the New Zealand aid programme’s Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme.