During Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, Act for Kids is shining a light on the helpers – our incredible team of Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Practitioners.
With unwavering compassion, these devoted individuals walk alongside families through some of their darkest and most overwhelming moments, offering strength, guidance, and hope on the journey toward healing.
Kia ora, my name is Gina, and I am a Specialist Domestic Violence Practitioner with Act for Kids. I have been in this role for nearly 10 years, and I bring with me over 30 years of experience walking alongside victim survivors of domestic and family violence.
My passion for this work comes from a lifetime of standing with the vulnerable particularly women and children helping them find safety, strength, and hope for the future.
My journey began in the mid-1980s with a background in education, where I was actively involved in supporting and creating Kohanga Reo infant language nests immersed in the Māori language. I grew up in a small town in New Zealand, surrounded by strong, courageous women who fought for gender equality, cultural identity, and the rights of their mokopuna their grandchildren and future generations.
I was blessed to witness first-hand the incredible work of Māori women as they established and nurtured the Māori Women’s Welfare League a movement that provided connection, cultural pride, and a powerful voice for Māori women across the country. I am still a proud member of the League today.
Being a woman of colour has shaped the way I work. It has given me a heart to walk alongside women from all cultures, particularly those who have been marginalised or silenced because of their background. I believe every woman and every child deserves to live a life that is safe, valued, and full of opportunity.
This work is not just what I do, it’s who I am. And I am honoured every day to stand with those who trust me with their stories and their journey toward healing.
This work is challenging. It’s complex. But it’s also deeply humbling. I have had the privilege of supporting many women who carry heavy burdens women who often judge themselves far more harshly than anyone else ever could. My greatest challenge is often convincing these brave, resilient women that they are worth so much more than what is happening to them today.
Over the years, I have heard many stories of hardship but also of incredible courage and survival. And what fills my heart to overflowing is seeing the children of these survivors come back to me with big hugs, with stories of new respectful relationships, new careers, independence, and most of all peace.
That is what keeps me here. That is what fills me up.
For anyone seeking support, I want to promise this I will listen. I will walk alongside you. I will not come with a one-size-fits-all approach. But I will work with you to create a plan that prioritises your safety, your needs, and your hopes for the future.
Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month Message this May
My message this Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month is to our government and to our communities.
We need to be more DFV-informed. Real solutions require real resources, resources that are readily available, responsive, and delivered with care and proficiency.
We need every domestic violence service to be fully equipped to respond quickly and appropriately. We need better transportation networks for safety. Stronger laws that better protect the families who have already suffered enough.
We need more shelters that offer dignity and independence not spaces that enforce restrictions and rules that take away autonomy.
Victim survivors are incredibly resilient. They have often been surviving long before they seek support. They do not need rescuing. What they need is reassurance that they will be okay, that they will be safe, and that they will be heard.
In my 30-plus years working in this sector, I have learned that not every solution comes from a system or a service. Some situations require creativity, flexibility, and a multi-pronged strategies that tackle the problem from many angles. And above all, solutions that listen to the very people we are walking alongside.
We have overlooked our greatest resource and that is the victim survivors themselves. Their voices matter. Their stories matter. And if we want real change, we must listen to them.
For those in need of support:
1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732
VictimConnect – 1300 318 940
QLIFE: 1800 184 527
MensLine – 1300 78 99 78
Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800