Weekly Media Round up

March 03, 2016 at 5:00 PM

New family violence offences could tackle 'insidious' abusers - Amy Adams:

Introducing new family violence offences, such as coercive control and psychological violence, could make it easier for authorities to tackle the "insidious" behaviour of domestic abusers, Justice Minister Amy Adams says.

The Government released a summary of public submissions on its plans to reform family violence laws, revealing broad support for many of its proposals.

The summary said most submissions supported the idea of a "stand-alone offence" for family violence, and some pushed for new offences for psychological violence, coercive control and repeat family violence.

Read more...

See also:

Safety first, say family violence submissions - Radio NZ

Calls for paid leave for domestic violence victims - NZ Herald

 

Maori Party co-leader slams the Government for allowing abuse of children:

Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox has slammed the Government for allowing children to be abused.

The mother of nine, whose party is a Government ally, has backed up her support of a tweet on social media on Monday night claiming the Government was covering up child abuse.

The tweet referenced Best Picture Oscar winner Spotlight - a movie about a newspaper investigation into child abuse in the Catholic Church  - saying "Spotlight winning hopefully warns #NZ Government to stop its coverup".

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New Zealand develops new tool for social service providers showing where children are at risk:

Social service providers, public sector organisations and NGOs in New Zealand are now able to use a new interactive tool which draws together information from across the public sector to show where children and young people are at higher risk.

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Gangs cost $714m in welfare, report reveals, as new intelligence centre launched:

Nine of every 10 gang members in New Zealand have received a benefit or other welfare, costing the country $525 million between 1993 and 2014, a new report reveals.

Sixty per cent of children born to gang parents were abused or neglected, the report, by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), also found.

In total, cycles of violence within gang families will cost New Zealand's welfare system $714 million over their lifetimes.

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Ex-Mongrel Mob chief Willy McGregor: Why people join gangs:

A former chapter president of the Mongrel Mob believes the Government shouldn't treat all gangs as an inevitable evil.

As Police minister Judith Collins announced new strategies to support gang families, disrupt gang activities and stop young people joining gangs, Willy McGregor said gang members often become involved in crime because of a lack of legal economic opportunities.

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Lifting the lid on domestic violence in rural communities:

A woman who's continued to farm after ending her abusive marriage has spoken out in the hope it may help others in similar situations.

Read more...

See also:

How one rural woman escaped an abusive marriage - Radio NZ

 

Woman feared for her life before deadly attack:

An Australian woman allegedly murdered by her boyfriend had told friends in the weeks before her death that she feared for her life, a jury has heard.

Marika Ninness, 35, died in a New South Wales hospital 13 days after she suffered severe head injuries when she was allegedly punched to the ground by her war veteran boyfriend in a Maitland carpark following an argument.

Ross Albert Merrick, now aged 32, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend of eight months, arguing he had not meant to strike Ninness with his elbow but that the action was a "conditioned response" to his military training after she had confronted him.

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Kenny-Dowall cleared of assault charges:

Kiwis and Sydney Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall has been cleared of domestic violence offences against his former partner Jessica Peris.

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Mahana star Jim Moriarty: being a better man:

Jim Moriarty is proof that you can't judge a book by its handsome cover. An accomplished actor of 40 years standing, but also a registered psychiatric nurse, an unashamed re-born Catholic, an anti-family violence practitioner, teetotaller and critically acclaimed barista.

"I ended up having to find a playwright to live with me so I could get some good parts," he jokes of his partner, Helen Pearse-Otene. "It's working so far, but it does cost me a couple of good coffees a day, so I've become the house barista".

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Medics 'patching up' violence victims in PNG:

Doctors fear that women and children victims of domestic violence in Papua New Guinea will only be "patched up" between abuse incidents without an urgent ramp-up of protection measures.

Medecins Sans Frontieres made the dire prediction in a report released on Tuesday.

The aid group operates clinics in Port Moresby and rural Tari in the Highlands region and is seeing a revolving door of repeat abuse victims.

More than 90 percent of its patients are female.

Read more...


Why men should be feminists:

Joshua Drummond explains why men are more necessary than ever in the latest and most widespread wave of feminism.

OPINION: My name is Joshua Drummond, and I'm a feminist.

Okay, that was a bit melodramatic, but it's better than my other opening line, which was: You won't believe what this white guy aged 25-35 has to say about feminism!

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Wife murderer gets at least 17 years jail:

A man who murdered his estranged wife before trying to kill his stepdaughter and her partner will spend at least 17 years behind bars.

Brent Donovan Scott was sentenced this morning for murdering his estranged wife Heidi Welman-Scott by stabbing her at least six times in her Mt Albert home in November 2014.

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Category: News Media