Editor’s note

There is so much I’m proud of about living in this beautiful country we call home. But one thing about New Zealand that fills me with absolute dread is our appalling domestic violence rates – the worst in the world.

Tragically, half of the homicides in this country are related to family violence and one in three Kiwi women are abused by a partner.

The very idea that 90,000 New Zealand children are exposed to violence in their homes each year is beyond belief, but sadly it’s true.

The statistics are harrowing and they aren’t improving. And considering only about 20% of incidents are ever reported, I dread to think how bad things really are for so many Kiwi families.

I don’t have the answers, but as a journalist, I can’t stand by and do nothing. We need to stop turning a blind eye.

This week, Woman’sDay begins a series on New Zealanders whose lives have been forever scarred by the loss of a loved one through domestic violence. They are haunting stories to read.

On page 36, the devastated mother and sister of murdered woman Victoria Foster speak out for the first time about their family tragedy. Mum Karen was on the phone to Victoria when she was shot in the mouth by her ex. Life will never be the same for the family, including Victoria’s beautiful daughter.

I hope these women’s bravery in speaking out will encourage others to seek help or offer assistance to someone in need. I think some Kiwis are reluctant to believe domestic violence is happening in our families, groups of friends and colleagues or communities, but we all need to accept it’s rife.

One of the organisations that’s particularly close to the hearts of the team at Woman’sDay is Shine, which helps victims of domestic abuse to get safe and stay safe. On March 3-9, it will be encouraging Kiwis to shine a light on domestic violence by going crazy with the colour orange – and raising muchneeded funds with its Light it Orange campaign. Please give generously.