Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB) staff are widely promoting White Ribbon Day messaging this week in lead-up to tomorrow’s nationally recognised White Ribbon Day (25 November) which is aimed to end men’s violence towards women.
Banners outside Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s main entrance as well as information booths, wall silhouettes along hospital corridors, staff activities and White Ribbon DHB ambassadors attending local events across the region, has all helped to build awareness about the impact of violence and the support that is available to women and families.
HBDHB Family Violence Intervention Programme coordinator, Cheryl Newman, said this week was about promoting that, as a DHB, staff cared about people within its community and were there to help in a variety of ways.
“Violence and abuse in families has damaging physical and mental health effects and we have some worrying statistics in Hawke’s Bay around family violence levels which are sadly on the rise,” said Miss Newman.
“In Hawke’s Bay we have 52 incidents per 10,000 people - this is over five times the national average.
“Through raising awareness of the impact of violence and screening all women over 16 years, we can play a significant role in tackling this problem and assisting people experiencing violence and abuse,” she said.
Miss Newman said DHB ambassadors had attended the annual White Ribbon Motorbike Ride and various community events. She said Year 2 students at Ebbett Park School had their attention captured by some of the Hawkes Bay Big Ride participants who spoke about being kind to each other, why there is always an alternative to hitting and what a good role model is, finishing with a highly anticipated lap of honour around the school fields on their motorbikes.
The DHB’s Family Violence Intervention Programme (FVIP) was established in 2002. Through health promotion and early intervention, FVIP works to implement the Family Violence Intervention Guidelines (Child and Intimate Partner Abuse) supported by inter-sectoral relationships with external health care providers and community agency groups.
This year’s theme is ‘Raise our Boys’ which focuses on ensuring Dads have the skills and confidence to talk to their sons about respectful relationships and sexual relationships.
Front L-R: Cheryl Newman – FV intervention programme coordinator, Carolyn Faloon – VIP team secretary, Lyn Wiffin – RN, Community mental health, Esther Charlson – SW, Inpatient Surgical, level 4.
Back L-R: Chrissie Williams – RN, day surgery unit, Rose Lockett – SW, Children’s Ward and SCBU, Jarn McCleland – Child protection coordinator.
Lisa Hammond, Ngaro Hapi – Te Taiwhenua O Heretaunga, Jason Wawatai – Housing New Zealand / Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawkes Bay, Cheryl Newman Family Violence intervention Programme Coordinator, Det Sergeant Darren Pritchard – White Ribbon Ambassador, Bill Dever – Corrections, Andrew Chantey – Community policing
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