Sports stars and Police spread anti-violence message

This is the sixth year New Zealand rugby players – and this year, one hockey player - have acted as role models for the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence  Programme (PPDVP), an initiative of New Zealand Police, New Zealand Aid and police from five Pacific Island nations.

 

The visit has the theme ‘Break the silence, end the violence’. One of the PPDVP team’s stops was at a prison where 70 percent of inmates have convictions for Violence against women.

 

Elsewhere they have led skills and coaching sessions, taken part in a public street parade and visited schools and community groups including a disabled centre.

 

Hurricanes Personal Development Manager Steve Symonds says the reception from local people has been overwhelming and humbling.

 

The rugby players in Vanuatu are: James McGougan (Junior All Blacks, Chiefs, Bay of Plenty); Onosai Auva’a (NZ Sevens, Blues, Counties Manukau); Ambrose Curtis (NZ Sevens, Hurricanes, Wellington); Timo Tutavaha (Hurricanes, Taranaki); Motu Matu’u (Hurricanes, Wellington); Mark Abbott (Hurricanes, Hawkes Bay) and Tane Tuipulotu  (Hurricanes).

 

New Zealand age grade hockey representative Matthew Symonds has been running training sessions with local hockey players.

 

PPDVP head Cam Ronald says more than 60 sports people have given up their own time to take part in the programme, which has previously visited Samoa, Tonga, Guam and the Cook Islands. Last year it won the NZ Rugby Players Association Off the Field Achievement Award

 

“One of the best ways of preventing violence is for young men and women to see role models promoting the message that violence is not OK,” says Cam.

 

New Zealand Police assists five countries through the PPDVP - Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. All now have dedicated domestic violence units and specially trained police.

 

Click here to see a One News report from Vanuatu.