A rally will take place at Parliament tomorrow to hand
over an
open letter urging the Government to stop the closure of
specialist sexual violence prevention organisation RespectEd
Aotearoa.
The letter, signed by 21 organisations and
over 600 individuals, asks the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Sexual Violence, Hon Karen Chhour provide urgent
funding to save RespectEd Aotearoa. It faces closure in
August because funding through ACC’s Hikitia programme was
halted.
Minister Chhour has been invited to formally
receive the letter at the rally, but she has not responded.
The PSA hope to hand over the letter directly to Minister
Chhour at the event, but if she does not attend, it will be
handed to a representative from an opposition
party.
“New Zealand has a problem with sexual
violence,” says Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary of the
Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga
Mahi.
“Prevention works. Without this important work,
we’re going to see more people harmed, and that is on this
government’s shoulders,
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“Once these organisations
are lost, they can’t just start back up overnight.
They’ve built trust, relationships, and knowledge that are
not easily replaced,
“This letter calls for sexual
violence prevention to be properly funded so that
organisations like RespectEd aren’t forced to
close.”
Speakers will highlight the severe, long-term
impacts of pulling resources away from prevention work,
especially since New Zealand already has some of the worst
rates of sexual violence in the developed
world.
Rally information:
- Date: 1 July
2026 - Time: 12:15pm – 1:00pm
- Location:
Parliament lawn
Speakers include Fleur
Fitzsimons, a representative from RespectEd, a
representative from Thursdays in Black Victoria University,
Minister Chhour has been invited, as well as opposition
parties.
Open letter signatories:
- Atamira
Platform - Coalition for the Safety of Women and
Children - Counselling Services Centre – Ngā
Whakahaymarutanga o te Hauora - Eastern Refuge
Society - Good Shepherd NZ
- Hui E! Community
Aotearoa - National Council of Women – Wellington
Branch - New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae
Kaimahi - New Zealand Disability Support
Network - PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga
Mahi - Tāhono Trust
- Te Wāhi Wāhine o
Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Women’s Centre - The
Backbone Collective - Thursdays In Black
(VUW) - Victoria University of Wellington Feminist Law
Society - Wellington Rape Crisis
- Women’s
International League for Peace and Freedom, Aotearoa
Section - Women’s Refuge | Ngā Whare Whakaruruhau o
Aotearoa - Women’s Refuge Tāmaki
Makaurau - YWCA Tāmaki Makaurau
- Dr Merrill
Simmons Hansen, MANZASW, Reg SW. PhD, ISSC Therapy, IFS
Informed, Supervision - Dr Debbie Hagar, Disability
portfolio, Tauiwi Caucus, Te Ohaakii a Hine – National
Network of Ending Sexual Violence
Together
Previous statements:
ENDS
The Public Service
Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa
New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and
supporting more than 95,000 workers across central
government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health
boards and community
groups.
