Events put focus on family violence problem

Louise Moore, of Napier, plays with SPCA dog Mahli at the White Ribbon family fun day at Anderson Park, Napier, on Saturday. Photo / Warren Buckland

A White Ribbon family fun day to celebrate a safer Napier was held at Anderson Park at the weekend with another event against family violence planned for tomorrow.

Inflatable obstacle courses, a photo booth and a chalk art contest were part of the activities at Anderson Park on Saturday ahead of White Ribbon Day on Wednesday.

The White Ribbon motorcycle ride, which started in Palmerston North on Saturday, is coming to Hawke's Bay this week before it ends in Wanganui.

An event will be held at the SoundShell on Napier's Marine Parade from 11.30am tomorrow to welcome the riders.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton, who will be one of the speakers, said yesterday that he considered violence against women to be the lowest of the low.

"Whether it's physical or psychological, it's just totally unacceptable."

Mr Dalton said there was "a major problem" in New Zealand of people taking out their frustrations on their families.

"I am happy to be involved if anything I can do to stop this happening," Mr Dalton said.

People from all walks of life have taken part in this year's White Ribbon Ride from gang members to police officers. Hastings gang leader Rex Timu has been taking part in his second ride.

Now he wants others to join the ride which arrives in Hawke's Bay late today, stopping at Te Waireka Marae, Otane, for the night before heading to Hastings and Napier, where he will speak to Flaxmere College pupils tomorrow morning before joining Mr Dalton and others at the Soundshell on Napier's Marine Parade.

Mr Timu, who two weeks ago had to front a nationwide appeal for gang calm after the death of three fellow Mongrel Mob members in a crash near Raupunga on their way to a gang chapter 50th anniversary celebration in Central Hawke's Bay, told Hawke's Bay Today the ride is "good positive news" and its message of ending violence "against our women" had been one with which he had been challenging members for several years.

"I've always supported the kaupapa as a personal thing," he said.

"I decided enough is enough, having people calling and saying someone was hitting their wahine, and having to go and sort it out.

"I guess there are heaps of reasons ... but there really is no excuse.

"Some of our guys are a bit hard to get through to, so I'm talking to fathers and sons. The message is about breaking the cycle."