Glenn Inquiry publishes 'Stories of change'

The Glenn Inquiry has published the stories of people who have changed their lives following experiences of childhood sexual abuse and/or domestic violence.

Stories of Change, Moving Beyond Violence is accompanied by video interviews with five people telling their stories. These include Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner and former MP Dr Jackie Blue.

The study sought to understand:

• The individual drivers for people to change
• The actions participants took to change
• The factors that assisted/hindered participants to move beyond violence and abuse as significant negative influences in their lives
• How the participants sustained the desired change in their lives
• How organisations meet the needs of diverse groups in our population.

The report says, "There is no one right way to visualise the path of recovery from childhood sexual abuse or domestic violence. There are however signposts and opportunities for intervention that could better enable individuals and families/whānau access to the range of services available to help them. This needs to include improved government agency practices that reduce anxiety and the sense of re-victimisation for complainants."

The immediate supports that did, or would have helped participants move out of the cycle of abuse include:

• Being believed
• Adults acting to end the abuse and protect children
• Love of mother/parent/family/whānau/partner/friends
• Someone warning me about the abuser
• Believing in so mething bigger than myself to get me through
• Being asked if I am safe, more than once.

Three organisations that work in the area are also profiled: Te Whakaruruhau; Aviva Family Violence Services (formerly Christchurch Women's Refuge); and the Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust.

The Stories of Change report, the People’s Report published last month and other work underway will feed into the Blueprint for Change the Glenn Inquiry plans to complete later in 2014.

Media:

Christchurch Agency is Change Maker on Family Violence, Press Release – Aviva, Scoop, 03.07.2014

Stories of Change Latest Focus of Glenn Inquiry, Press Release: Glenn Inquiry, Scoop, 03.07.2014

Commissioner tells her story of violence, NZ Herald, 28.06.2014