Looking up to the television I saw the domestic hostility. Maybe it was only unfolding, but mum was already weeping, and they were trying to hide it from the kid of course.
“Show you are against violence towards women”
It happened yesterday, when I was on my way home from church and dropped in at one of our coffee shops here in town for a cup of coffee. At that particular shop they turn the TV on for me, when they see me. They are very kind. We don’t have TV at home.
And what did I read yesterday in the morning?
I read about a new White Ribbon Ambassador.
In one year Police in this country attend 114,000 cases of family violence. That is about one call every five minutes. But there are cases that are not reported, in Wellington, the capital, 75 per cent.
White Ribbon month is actually in November. It is all about violence against women, how to stop it and educating people how to prevent it. There are events in November aimed at that.
Many years ago we used to run a meeting for children (Sunday School) at the play centre at Ohaeawai not far from Kaikohe (United Maori Mission).
There I saw the poster “Children learn what they live,” by Dorothy Law Nolte. This is the beginning of what she says:
“IF A CHILD LIVES WITH CRITICISM, HE LEARNS TO CONDEMN. IF A CHILD LIVES WITH HOSTILITY, HE LEARNS TO FIGHT.”
“Love is not violent”
