Smashed faces, teeth kicked in

Women strangled, stomped on and brutalised — when will the violence stop?

Women with “smashed up” faces and teeth kicked in — strangled, stomped on and brutalised.

These are just some of the countless horrific cases Taurangawomen’s Refuge manager Hazel Hape has witnessed this holiday — and she’s sick of the appalling violence beingmeted out in family homes.

“I don’t know what the hell is wrong with this town, the level of violence against women is just ... unacceptable.

“We have seen some horrific injuries.”

Police say there were more callouts this holiday than last year, however, Hape notes not every victim of domestic violence calls the police.

The refuge had supported a woman who was knocked unconscious, then had her head stomped on — in public.

Other women stayed in the safe houses with “smashed up” faces and their teeth kicked out, Hape said. “It’s real,” she said.

“It’s been really overwhelming, it’s been challenging, it’s been frustrating that women continue to be treated as chattels ... based on what we have been dealing with, the brutalisation of women and children, this bull**** has to stop and we are sick and tired of saying this every year.”

The year had been hard, and although the need for the refuge was not as high as anticipated during the Covid-19 lockdown, it picked up in the latter half of the year as people struggled with unemployment, anxiety, and inability to afford food, Hape said.

“They’re contributing factors only because I maintain that someone chooses to hit the s*** out of somebody.

“September, October, November has been very busy in the Covid-19 space but over Christmas, we were very busy.”

She said the holiday was always busy with the influx of visitors to the Bay.

“When people are on holiday you think they would focus on family