Riders teach kids about respect
Having grown up in a world where men dominated women, Takurna Tawera is now doing his part to stop family violence.
The White Ribbon lead rider said as a youngster violence and aggression were the norm and he was a self-confessed ‘‘abuser of the system’’.
But after rehabilitation, Tawera realised there were a lot of contributors and complexity around violence. ‘‘I lived a life where men dominated women without realising it; I just thought that that was normal,’’ he said.
Tawera was one of about 12 riders who stopped at Manukorihi Intermediate School in Waitara, yesterday as part of the lower North Island White Ribbon Ride, which began at Raetihi on Saturday and will finish in Upper Hutt with a community concert on November 26.
The 2017 campaign has a focus on preventing violence and harassment by encouraging dads and caregivers to teach their boys about consent and being respectful. They are visiting 11 schools and 12 community organisations and events.
Tawera said many of the people he formerly associated with were abusive and violent to their partners, but the attitude was ‘that’s their business, I’ll stay out of it’.
But he is now taking a stand against violence toward women, both in his work as a psychotherapist and through White Ribbon.
Tawera said he wanted better outcomes for the next generation including his daughter and grandchildren.
‘‘I do not wish my daughter to have someone who was like me in the past. I want my grandchildren to have men who are stable and strong and focused, and not influenced by others.’’
He said their message was three-fold, based around modelling respect, sexuality, and also distraction in school.
‘‘Fathers and sons can get together, talk to their sons, have that time because there’s a lot of absent fathers,’’ he said.
Tawera said it was also about demystifying the myth that a woman’s place was in the kitchen.
‘‘Your mother or your sister [doesn’t have to] go in the kitchen; you can go there with your dad.’’
They are also talking about sexual consent within relationships, and how those getting distracted in school are looking for attention, but the better attention was the approval of teachers for completing the work.
Associate principal Katrina Snowdon said the visit combined with their Positive Behaviour for Learning celebration, especially their core value of respect.
‘‘It’s a great match,’’ she said.