Men intervene when women attacked

Waikato police say several men saved two women from more serious injuries this morning. File photo / NZ Herald

Waikato police are praising several men who stepped in and stopped a violent domestic dispute this morning.

They credit the actions of the yet-to-be-identified men with saving two women from more serious injuries.

Detective Sergeant Martyn Hughes said police were called to a Paeroa address about 7.40am after reports of a domestic dispute.

They found a man had allegedly been involved in a domestic dispute with his partner, who had fled to her aunt's house a short distance up the road.

"The woman was suffering bruises to her body and what appears to be defensive wounds to her hands caused by a knife, and a cut to her chin," Mr Hughes said.

"The 53-year-old aunt tried to intervene and suffered a number of stab wounds to her neck."

A number of men intervened, preventing what police believe could have potentially been more serious injuries being inflicted on the women, he said.

"Armed police responding to the calls for assistance arrived at the address a short time later and arrested the man. The younger woman was treated at a local medical centre for her injuries while her aunt was taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance suffering from serious injuries," Mr Hughes said.

The tragic thing about the incident was that it was not an uncommon event, and the public needed to send a message that domestic violence was not okay.

"On average, one woman dies in this country every five weeks as a result of domestic violence inflicted by their current spouse, partner or ex-partner and about 10 children die in such incidents every year," Mr Hughes said.

"Domestic violence is a plague affecting all sectors of society and police would urge anyone feeling stressed or who is subjected to domestic violence to seek help before things deteriorate.

"No one wants to see a repeat of today's incident."

- NZPA