Children's safety at forefront of hui

Cherie Sweeney of NARK supported a Flaxmere hui held as part of Neighbours' Day Aotearoa.

Rapes of young people prompted Jolene Morrell to call a hui for Flaxmere families on Saturday.

While police were calling for more information, she thought bringing the issue to greater attention might help.

"Someone's memory might come alive if they hear more information being pushed out there," she said.

Police and volunteer community patrols attended the hui at the Flaxmere Age Concern Hall, as did Waikato campaigner Cherie Sweeney of NARK - The Nation of Advocates for the Rights of Kids.

Ms Sweeney formed the anti-child abuse organisation after being branded a nark for speaking to police about the death of her infant neighbour in 2011 and decided to turn the label into a positive campaign.

Ms Morrell said the primary goal of the hui was to improve safety for young people.

"They need more protection and parents need to be more aware and not just rely on the patrols and police," she said.

"After the hui, we had some parents confiding they have issues with their children at home. The majority are Maori families that are too embarrassed to go to agencies or just want to talk to someone in the community."

The hui was part of Neighbours Day Aotearoa and finished with a free sausage sizzle in Flaxmere Park.

Ms Morrell believed there had been three rapes in public places in Flaxmere since December.

However, police were aware of two only.

The latest was on a 14-year-old girl on March 12. Police said she was walking home from a friend's house shortly after midnight when a man followed her from Flaxmere shopping centre to the nearby skatebowl.

Anyone with information should contact detective Jeff Foley on 06 211-3711 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.