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National | Abuse

Massive hīkoi against sexual abuse comes to an end

Massive participants have marched over 400km from Auckland to Cape Reinga to raise awareness and to speak out against sexual abuse and violence.

Today, they took the final steps to complete their journey.

Labour MP Kelvin Davis says, “All men need to lead this initiative within their own families and communities, on the marae, within their own people, so that acts of sexual violence are wiped out.”

It's an initiative supported by local iwi Ngāti Kuri because it addresses a difficult issue that was rarely spoken about in the past.

Pineaha Murray says, “This march has opened the conversation up and men are saying, I love my wife I've abused in the past.  And that's a start to addressing the issue.”

Davis says, “I'm glad the march is over but this initiative is not over.  If that was the case, this would've been a whole waste of time.  All of us men need to be examples to our youth.”

It has been an initiative that's received support from MPs across the House.