Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care

13/08/2024

Whanaketia is around 1.3 million words on about 2,800 pages and across 16 volumes. This post is to make reading about specific communities’ care experiences easier.

Here is a link to a webpage, and part way down you will find summaries and guides for communities impacted by care and abuse in care.

https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/reports/whanaketia/

You will find:

- Disabled survivors' experiences of abuse and neglect in care - guide and key messages

- Deaf survivors' experiences of abuse and neglect in care - guide and key messages

- Survivors' experiences of abuse and neglect in faith-based care - summary and key messages

- Māori survivors’ experiences of abuse and neglect in care - summary and key messages

- Survivors' experiences of abuse and neglect in mental health care settings - summary and key messages

- Pacific survivors' experiences of abuse and neglect in care - summary and key messages

- Takatāpui, Rainbow and MVPFAFF+ experiences of abuse and neglect in care - summary and key messages

- Women and girls' experiences of abuse and neglect in care - summary and key messages

Comments are turned off as the Royal Commission is closed.

12/08/2024

This post highlights elements of Whanaketia to help you access the content on the Royal Commission’s website.

Today's post is about an independent submission – Arewa Ake te Kaupapa – from gang whānau, who presented their experiences of care and its impacts to Commissioners. Gang whānau were supported by Professor Tracey McIntosh.

See the independent submission here: https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/library/v/557/arewa-ake-te-kaupapa

You will also find a video on the Royal Commission’s website filmed during a Hikoi Nation-led gang whānau hui in Tāmaki Makaurau in February 2023. Gang whānau came together as a community to share their experiences of being in care and the impacts of care. Commissioners were invited to attend to hear the experiences. See the video below.

Thank you to gang whānau - leaders, members and their whānau - for helping inform the findings and recommendations in Whanaketia.

Comments are turned off as the Royal Commission is closed.

https://vimeo.com/997974801/463c60d3d8?share=copy

This video was filmed during a Hikoi Nation-led gang whānau hui in Tāmaki Makaurau in February 2023. Gang whānau came together as a community to share their experiences…

12/08/2024

This post highlights content on the Royal Commission’s website that helped inform Commissioners in the writing of Whanaketia. This is part of ensuring rich information is accessible to you.

The voices of rangatahi were critical in making findings and recommendations in Whanaketia.

Below you’ll find the link to: Korowai aroha – Position Statement and Key Asks.

It is an independent submission to the Inquiry from the rōpū, Kaitiaki mō ngā teina e haere ake nei.

The rōpū is made up of tāngata whenua, tauiwi, tāngata whaikaha, migrants, gender diverse, rainbow rangatahi and parents ranging in age from 17-30 years old.

The independent submission gives voice to the rōpū and explains their key asks for the future.

Thanks to this rōpū for Korowai aroha and thanks to VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai for supporting this rōpū.

Comments are turned off as the Royal Commission is closed.

https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/library/v/559/korowai-aroha-position-statement-and-key-asks

08/08/2024

Kia ora koutou, warm greetings to you all.

The Inquiry has closed, and a small team is now winding down the Inquiry. Final changes to the website are being made so it is easier to use and so Whanaketia is accessible.

From today, as part of publishing Whanaketia, posts will appear on social media sharing content already on the website, to read in your own time or to use for mahi you may be doing.

Today’s post is an independent research report from survivor and senior researcher Paora Moyle from Te Whāriki Manawāhine Research.

'As a Kid, I Always Knew Who I Was' was presented to the Inquiry. It highlights the voices of Takatāpui, Rainbow and MVPFAFF+ survivors from a series of Royal Commission engagements. It informed the analysis, findings and recommendations in Whanaketia.

Thank you to the people in this community for sharing their experiences to help the Inquiry write Whanaketia.

Comments are turned off as the Royal Commission is closed.

https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/library/v/558/takatapui-rainbow-and-mvpfaff-experiences-of-abuse-and-neglect-in-care

24/07/2024

Before Commissioners gave Whanaketia to the Governor General, they recorded a message for survivors.

Watch the message here:

This is "Introduction to Whanaketia: Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light" by Abuse in Care Royal Commission on Vimeo, the home for high quality…

24/07/2024

The Inquiry’s final report and recommendations, Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light, has been published today.

https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/reports/whanaketia/

The Royal Commission acknowledges and thanks all survivors, their whānau, hapū, iwi, communities and support networks for sharing their experiences. For some of you this was the first time you had shared your experience. Your collective experiences are reflected in this report.

We also acknowledge those who have died, and some while the Inquiry was underway. We pay tribute to them and acknowledge their whānau and friends.

Survivor, Sir Robert Martin told the Inquiry, “It is time to challenge New Zealanders. The phrase out of sight, out of mind is no longer acceptable.”

We all have a role to play in ensuring that Aotearoa New Zealand recognises what happened and why, seeks to redress those wrongs, and builds a future where abuse and neglect in care has been eliminated.

18/07/2024

We want to connect with you, the communities that have formed around the Royal Commission, to let you know this social media channel will soon close.

We want to use this opportunity to direct you to one of our last pānui. It has information about:

- our contact centre closure details, and survivor support that will soon be stopping;
- how to view the final report and recommendations on the afternoon of Wednesday 24 July, after it is tabled in Parliament by - the Government;
- the Survivor Experiences Service - where survivors, and their whānau, can continue sharing their experiences; and,
- an upcoming survivor-led visual and performing arts exhibition that captures their narratives and experiences.

This Royal Commission is an independent inquiry into abuse in state care and in the care of faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand.

27/06/2024

25/06/2024

The Royal Commission has delivered its final report and recommendations to the Governor-General, Her Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro.

The report is called Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. It was named by the Inquiry's survivor advisory group of experts (SAGE).

Commissioners have shared this message for survivors “We want to thank you all. This is your report. It's informed by your experiences and your voices. The real milestone is yours.” The full media release is on our website.

This Royal Commission is an independent inquiry into abuse in state care and in the care of faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand.

20/06/2024

Kia ora koutou! Te Roopū Toiora is excited to invite you to our Survivors Exhibition, held at Te Auaha Gallery, 2nd - 4th August 2024.

Our first major piece of work will be a 3-day event to be held at Te Auaha in Wellington and will include an array of visual and performing arts that captures the narratives and experiences of Survivors. We wish to bring awareness to the general public about Survivors stories, and to acknowledge the release of the Report for The Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

Many Survivors use art to tell their stories, and the exhibition will share the experiences of Survivors with all New Zealanders and will help them to be both listened to and believed.

The programme will be released in the coming weeks and will include poetry, live musical performances, dance, documentary screenings, painting and sculpted mahi.

20/06/2024

Kia ora koutou!
We are excited to launch our official instagram account and wanted to get started by introducing our collective!

KO WAI TĀTOU? // WHO ARE WE?

Te Roopū Toiora was established in November 2022, as a national roopū of Survivors of abuse in faith-based and State Care. We were formed out of a desire to raise awareness of the national tragedy that is Abuse in Care, and its impact on Survivors, whānau and communities. It will also create an enduring legacy for Survivors following the release of the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Te Roopū Toiora has recently sought Charitable Trust status and plans to raise funds to support its mahi.

This mahi will include:
* Providing, supporting or assisting with creative events
* Supporting education preventing abuse in care
* Raising awareness of abuse in care
* Providing or assisting with support services and other resources for survivors of Abuse in Care, their whānau and the general public.

We will be posting later this evening about our first big kaupapa as a Roopū

13/06/2024

“We are still trying to figure out how we come from that place of darkness, into light.” – Tu Chapman, SAGE member

Survivor advisory group members Rupene, Tu and Gary talk about healing as individuals and how we heal as a nation.