Fighting for real change
● 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843; womensrefuge.org.nz
● 9am-11pm daily: 0508 744 633; www.2shine.org.nz
● — Info line: 0800 456 450; areyouok.org.nz
● — for African, Asian, middle
Daniella Smith was no stranger to confronting danger in the boxing ring during her illustrious career.
But nothing she faced in the ring comes close to the threat to her safety when she came to the aid of a friend being threatened by a man holding a knife in her face.
Smith — who in 2010 became the International Boxing Federation’s first women’s world champion — has spoken eastern women and children. 24/7: 0800 742 584
● justice.govt.nz/ family-justice/domestic-violence
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● nnsvs.org.nz whiteribbon.org.nz of the incident as she takes a stand against domestic violence. The 45-year-old, who is staging a charity fight night raising funds for Women’s Refuge, attempted to intervene in the incident. “I grabbed the knife, and
I do remember thinking [having an important bout the following weekend]: I can’t get my hands all cut up,” Smith said. Although the nightmarish incident was more than a decade ago, Smith still recalls it vividly. “I was freaking out, I was scared for her, I was scared for me.”
She was visiting a friend when her boyfriend turned up at her house and started accusing the friend “of all sorts of stupid things”. The pair went into another room and “voices were starting to raise”.
“At one point [I] got scared, and thought, I’m going to leave. And then I stood outside her door, and I’m like, I can’t go, I can’t leave her.”
Smith stood between the pair as the situation escalated, trying to calm the man down. They ended up in the kitchen, where he had her friend against a bench with a knife “in line with her face” about 30cm away, Smith said. “I was like, oh no! And I grabbed the knife.”
He surrendered it and an interruption from outside allowed Smith and her friend to flee, she said.
Smith’s friend went to counselling organised through Women’s Refuge, the relationship with her boyfriend ended, and she resumed a successful life.
Smith said the harrowing incident reinforced to her that women need to know “that there is a way out — they can leave”. Smith is running the Diamonds in the Ring charity fight night to raise funds for Women’s Refuge. The event, which she intends to make an annual fundraiser, is on September 8 at the Auckland Boxing Association. About 60 would-be contestants, men and women aged 17-49, are in two teams — Bleed Blue and Red Squad — for a 14-week training regime leading into the event.
Each team has set up a Givealittle page to raise funds to establish two scholarships for residents or ex-residents of Women’s Refuge homes.
Last year more than 40,000 women and children were referred to Women’s Refuge — which answers more than 200 crisis calls every day. More than half its workforce are volunteers.
On average, it provides 165 women and children with a safe place to sleep every night.
Smith is coaching Bleed Blue at City Boxing, Mt Eden. The Red Squad is training out of the David Tua Health and Fitness gym in Onehunga, and is being trained by boxing coach Eli Reupena — with the assistance of former professional world heavyweight title contender Tua.
Tua said he would be on hand “to bring the water, bandage someone’s hand or critique someone’s technique”.
Diamonds in the Ring was for “an amazing cause” and he urged victims and perpetrators to seek help.
Smith said the fighters had a variety of reasons for taking part, including knowing victims of domestic violence.
One sentiment expressed was: “To fight for the women and children who can’t fight back.”
David Tua