People from Waitakere, one of the worst places in the country for family violence, have come out in force to send their message: "It's not OK."
Yesterday's annual White Ribbon Day saw more than 1000 locals of all ages, bearing anti-violence banners and slogans, marching down Henderson's Great
North Road.
Led by Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey, it was the third march of its kind, carried out as part of an initiative dubbed the Mayoral Taskforce on Family Violence.
The initiative was established by the mayor and Maori Party co-leader and local Pita Sharples, in a bid to put a stop to family violence in the area - where police respond to around 350 domestic call-outs each month.
Mr Harvey told the crowd violence could be stopped because it did not need to happen. He called for the public "not to shy away from helping someone in need."
"It's not okay to not tell the many support groups such as police - if you know something is going on next door," Mr Harvey said. Don't let there be another Nia Glassie."
Waitakere's Mayoral Taskforce has also led to the development of the city's own version of the national It's Not OK campaign, with the use of local well-known residents such as Michael Jones and Va'aiga "Inga the Winger" Tuigamala on billboards around the city.
Families Commissioner Sandra Alofivae acknowledged the city's unique way of attacking family violence.
"You, as a community, are standing in a gap. You are saying no more to violence and we hear your voices," she said.
Meanwhile, the Auckland District Health Board is reviewing its White Ribbon Day promotion campaign, after a large display at Auckland City Hospital had to be taken down twice due to damage from high winds.
The large white ribbons were first put up on Monday but were later taken down. They were then re-hung yesterday morning but high winds and noise complaints from patients led to their being taken down again.
