Maori male abusers 'should be shamed'

Carroll du Chateau

Maori men who abuse their families should be publicly shamed, says the president of the Maori Women's Welfare League, Druis Barrett.

She told an international conference in Auckland yesterday that statistics showed 38 per cent of young Maori coming to the notice of child welfare officials because of emotional, physical or sexual abuse and neglect.

And the International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect was told that one-third of all Maori families with children under 17 had only one parent, usually the mother.

Mrs Barrett told the 1200 delegates who packed the conference opening that "Maori men who abuse their ... whanau should be publicly identified."

"Maori men who have been found guilty of abusing children should be stripped of their kaumatua honour and sent from the marae until they reform.

"Maori women should refuse to sing or waiata for them on the marae."

Although she acknowledged the poverty and social policies that underpin the depressing statistics, she called on Maori to take responsibility for the treatment of their own children and, especially, send a wake-up call to Maori men.

"Poor health, poor education, poor housing, poor social services, poor everything are a reason -- but not a good enough reason for us to abuse our children."


Copyright © New Zealand Herald