Queen's Birthday Honours: Murder inspired campaign

Lesley Elliott.

Lesley Elliott - Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the prevention of domestic violence.

Lesley Elliott's daughter Sophie was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend in their family home in Dunedin in 2008. Since then Mrs Elliott has worked as an anti-violence campaigner, setting up the Sophie Elliott Foundation in 2010 to raise awareness of partner abuse among young people and families.

Mrs Elliott described the Queen's Birthday Honour as "bittersweet".

"It's great recognition for the cause, that's for sure. And it's a great honour, I really appreciate it," she said.

"But I wouldn't be in this position if I hadn't lost my daughter, so that makes it hard."

She said Sophie would have been "very proud" of her.

"It is very humbling."

The foundation works to reduce levels of domestic violence through its Loves-Me-Not school programmes that help educate young people on how to foster healthy relationships and identify abusive ones.

Loves-Me-Not was developed with the New Zealand Police and the Ministry of Social Development.

Mrs Elliott has two books under her belt - Sophie's Legacy and Loves Me Not - How to Keep Relationships Safe.

Her campaigning is acknowledged to have affected public policy, including the use of victim impact statements by courts.