MP plans 440km hikoi against sex violence

Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis. Photo / John Stone

Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis is planning a 440km march from Auckland to Cape Reinga to raise awareness of sexual violence.

He has planned the hikoi to last for 17 days, starting at the southern tip of his electorate in West Auckland to the northern tip and plans to march the whole distance himself.

He will be walking under the banner of "Massive" - Men Against Sexual Violence - which he says is not an organisation but "simply a rallying cry for any man who opposes sexual violence, against anybody, in any shape or form, be it verbal, physical or emotional."

Mr Davis said he had commitments from other most other parties in Parliament to join the march at some point.

It was not a protest march but designed to raise awareness he said.

"The greatest enabler of sexual violence was silence," said Mr Davis. "Marching under the banner of Men Against Sexual Violence our aim is to encourage more men to speak out."

"If there are blokes in every town in New Zealand who want to use our material to encourage men to speak out against sexual violence, they are welcome to it," he said.

Mr Davis, a former school principal, particularly wanted to encourage young people to be "the first generation to speak out en masse" and to promote healthy and respectful relationships.

"Generations are crippled by 'the big secret' they carry for most of their lives. It has got to stop."

The hikoi will leave West Auckland on May 29 and is due to arrive at Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua) on June 14.