By VANESSA BIDOIS Maori issues reporter
Maori women are calling on their men to crack down on physical and sexual abuse and violence within Maori families after the sacking of Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels.
The Te Tai Tokerau MP was dumped on Wednesday after a series of allegations about his personal life.
Associate Social Services Minister Tariana Turia yesterday said she believed family violence and abuse was the biggest issue confronting Maori people.
According to a 1996 survey, Maori women are more likely than non-Maori to report psychologically abusive behaviour, and to have experienced physical or sexual abuse, and more serious and repeated acts of violence.
Many Maori women in mental institutions and jails had been victims of violence and abuse. Many others were silent victims in their own homes, Tariana Turia said.
Maori men needed encouragement to seek help and more Maori leaders needed to speak out about the issue.
"Our men can't use tikanga [custom] on the marae to deny women a principal role ... when they don't live it every day in their homes," she said.
"There needs to be leadership shown on these issues [because] we can't allow it to go on any further."
The chief executive of the National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, said that Maori women had for years urged their leaders to take a stand against the violence and abuse of women and children.
"This is an opportunity for all of Maoridom to do a stocktake ... and take ownership of a problem that is widespread."
Maori call for lead on issue of abuse
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